Released by India’s Planning Commission on April 28, 2005, a recent study by Nathan Associates and Sallstrom Consulting and supported by Microsoft Corp., India, reveals that India’s impressive performance as an IT exporter is not matched in its domestic markets.

According to the study, India is underinvested in IT, which hampers the ability of the sector to grow and contribute to general growth and productivity. Study co-author, Robert Damuth, has conducted numerous studies of the beneficial impact of IT, especially software, in numerous markets. In this series, he joins with Sallstrom in a survey of 28 countries accompanied by in-depth studies and recommendations.

The India study recommends policy adjustments, especially in intellectual property protection, to encourage investment in software assets. Commenting on the study, the president of India?s National Association for Software and Services said, “Through our exports we have helped the rest of the world reap the benefits of IT investments. Now it is time to bring those benefits to India.”

India’s Business Today conducted a roundtable discussion of the study.