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The Rediff Business Interview/S Ramadorai

'For the first time, India is being seen as a knowledge-based economy'

A living legend among India's corporate chieftains, S Ramadorai, chief executive officer, Tata Consultancy Services, was among the leading lights of Indian industry who interacted with European businessmen at the first ever Indo-European Union business summit on June 27 in Lisbon, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry.

He spoke to Y Siva Sankar on the summit sidelines. Excerpts:

On TCS's visibility and stature in India's infotech industry.

I don't think TCS has lost any of the limelight. It's just that the market needs more limelight for companies which are listed or which are about to be listed. The reasons for limelight are completely different from our customers or our employees or our stakeholders. So TCS is visible, very visible in the fora it should be.

On the Europeans' perception of India Inc.

I think for the first time India is being seen as a knowledge-based economy. European investors are beginning to see India differently where it may be easier to do business with and there may be opportunities to grow in India by investments. So the changes we see are, firstly, the technologies capabilities, the software capabilities, telecommunication and infrastructure capabilities; secondly, there can be a good way to invest in India.

On TCS reinventing itself for the New Economy.

TCS is undergoing a major transformation and reinventing itself. TCS has done that repeatedly and we will continue to do that. We are encouraging a lot of young people to raise to their full potential and we will do everything that takes to make them grow and make TCS grow and make the country proud, and see TCS as India's number one software company.

On the government's "intervention" in the infotech industry.

At the end of the day, I think the world is moving towards where little or no intervention from the government is the only way to grow. Let the market forces determine where a company or where an organisation or where a country should go.

I think in today's borderless world, with the Internet connectivity, with the transactions flowing through, whether it is capital, intellectual products, or services, there is very little that the government can do other than being a facilitator and helping companies to grow without any control of whatever nature.

On the contribution of the infotech department to the industry's development.

I think the government is consulting the industry a lot. The government tends to appreciate the nature of the changes that are happening in the world. The government's representatives, including the ministers, are very visible in international fora. So that by definition means the politicians, the industrialists, the individuals…they are all beginning to speak the same language.

On the possible impact of the Indo-EU summit on industry.

I think all these things are good beginnings but then the sustenance has to be done by the business folks. They need to connect and network with the people concerned whom they want to do business with. At the end of the day, these are good catalysts or facilitators but it is left to the individual companies to take themselves to where they belong in any part of the world.

On whether TCS would get listed on NYSE or NASDAQ or Indian stock market.

No, the TCS is not going to just do the same things everybody does. It needs to evaluate its own requirements and analyse every possible situation including listing in India, listing outside. Whether it is NASDAQ, or NYSE or whatever; but TCS has to take its own destiny and work in the interests of its employees, shareholders and last, but not the least, our customers.

On what TCS gained by taking part in the Indo-EU Business Summit.

I don't think any specific deals or any specific opportunities have come by except that we have been able to create visibility for India as a brand for information technology.

Second, people who are interested in knowing certain specifics with regard to the telecommunication policy or software, how Indian companies would view the software capabilities or are they just looking at sending people or are they looking at solutions, products, how their work can be leveraged, how you can help these countries to also grow in information technology.

So we are reaching the next generation of co-operation where just like we expect something from them, we also have to give them something also in return which enhances the value proposition for them as well as us.

On what Internet users in India should learn in the days to come.

The message for the Internet users of India is that the world is growing smaller. We need to accelerate, we need to bring all the creativity, we need to know how to collaborate with each other, cooperate with each other, and then take it to a higher platform.

SEE ALSO:

'We're not going public. I don't think high stock valuation will put an attractive spin on TCS in US'

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