Sumali Moitra, Kolkata
The Times of India (Kolkata edition)
Software industry body Nasscom is in talks with the European Commission about evolving a single work permit norm for Indian IT professionals so that techies don’t have to apply for separate permissions when moving from one place to the other within Europe.
The Indian IT organisation has offered to collaborate in finetuning the mechanism through which this can happen keeping in mind the concerns various European countries have about immigration issues while emphasising the benefits such a step can provide in lowering administrative costs.
Speaking to TOI on Thursday, Nasscom president Som Mittal said discussions on this front have been moving satisfactorily so far and the issue would be taken up in more detail when a Nasscom delegation visits Europe in early March. He added, however, that provided such a relaxation arrangement is worked out, it could benefit not just Indian IT employees but also those from non-EU countries.
Nasscom chairman Ganesh Natarajan said the organisation already has a good record of working with the UK government to simplify visa-related formalities for Indian IT workers. The UK is the biggest market for India’s IT industry after the US. Together, the US and UK make up 80% of India’s software exports, with the US alone accounting for about 61%.
It may be noted, though, that Nasscom has also been trying to develop greater links with Japan, Germany, France and Scandinavian countries. It is also trying to identify and resolve the issues that are coming in the way of doing greater business with these countries.
“We are leaving for the US later this week where we would meet some key stakeholders, clients of customers and administration officials,” Mittal said. Apart from Washington DC, the Nasscom delegation would also be “travelling to New York and some other places,” he added.
Indications are that the delegates would be meeting Congressmen too to make them realise the benefits that would accrue to the US by not imposing outsourcing hurdles.
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