The estimated retail price for Windows Vista Home basic edition is now at Rs 4,000 while Windows Vista home premium is available at Rs 5,300 and Windows Vista ultimate at Rs 11,500, the company said.

Traditionally, most customers buy the windows operating system as a part of a new PC purchase, it said. However, with the boom in the Indian retail segment and an increasing inclination to buy original software, there is a growing uptake for retails packs of the windows operating system.

"Today, there is a transformation taking place in the way consumers purchase software. With the rise of the retail industry in India, we are witnessing increasing demand for off-the-shelf computer software from the do-it-yourself audiences", director, Windows Client Business Group, Microsoft India, Prasanna Meduri said.

"This reduction in pricing will enable to reach out to this set of consumers, while at the same time provide our channel partners with a greater opportunity to sell original software", he said.

Globally, the revised rates of windows vista vary from market to market and the price cut in India is on par with emerging markets, the release said.