Kerala looks to China for ties in IT sector

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala IT Department is looking at exploring opportunities to enhance Sino-Indian bilateral cooperation in the area of IT software and IT-enabled services (ITeS).

A focused approach in a bid to realize its goals in China and bag a few deals of cooperation in China is being currently pursued by a delegation of IT department officials in China. The business mission to China coincides with the 2009 edition of the North East Asia Hi-tech Fair being held in Shenyang, capital city of Liaoning Province from Sep 24-26, 2009.

The mission, a seven-member delegation led by Ajay Kumar, IT Secretary, will also visit Beijing, Dalian and Shenyang. The delegation has been formally invited by the Shenyang Municipal People Government, said an IT department official.

As part of the mission, Mervin Alexander, CEO, Thiruvananthapuram Technopark, has signed a Cooperation MoU with the Zhou Fang, Director of the Beijing Zhongguancun Software Park (Zpark) in Beijing.

The agreement comes in the wake of plans of both the software parks to establish a friendly relationship for the enhancement of better understanding and long-term cooperation.

Technopark has decided to promote co-operation between Indian IT software companies located at Technopark and the Kochi InfoPark and the Beijing-based IT software and ITeS companies in various areas. The areas of cooperation will include BPOs for software export and outsourcing services.