India needs ICT revolution to move forward: Kapil Sibal
4 Nov 2008, 1241 Hrs

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New Delhi, Nov.4 Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Ocean Development Kapil Sibal has said the country needs an Information Communication and Technology (ICT) revolution if it has to move forward.

Speaking at the 55th Convocation Day of the Institution of Electronics andelecommunication Engineers (IETE) here over the weekend, Sibal said that ICT should be recognized as the vehicle of success and growth of the nation and initiatives should be taken at political level.

"The real ICT revolution will come in this country when you start talking about content and who is working on that content. Where is the investment in that content? And that's why I think, unless we decide at political level that if we want to take this country forward, ICT is the vehicle," said Sibal.

India and other Asian countries hold a reputation of being Information Communication and Technology (ICT) powerhouses, but many countries in the region are still struggling to connect their communities to affordable basic services.

Experts of the IT industry say that many countries in Asia need to speed up plans to develop high-speed broadband Internet access, including making spectrum available and creating investment incentives, to be at par with the developed countries and to be a part of the global ICT revolution.

ICT includes a whole gamut of technologies that are used for the communication of information. It has emerged as one of the most robust industries in the world.

In a step towards the ICT revolution, India has proposed joint investments with Bangladesh in the ICT sector to reduce the bilateral trade gap. (ANI)