(1August 2007 8:23 pm)

NEW DELHI: Entertainment and gaming has emerged as a strong export area for the information technology industry. The sector touched exports worth Rs 18.1 billion.

While the Indian IT industry recorded a growth of 32 per cent in rupee terms and 30 per cent in dollar terns in fiscal 2006-07 to cross the $ 50 billion mark, the IT services exports crossed trillion rupees mark to reach Rs 1036.47 billion, representing a growth of 37 per cent.

The revenue of Rs 2268.79 billion was contributed by export earnings of Rs 1537.44 billion and a domestic market of Rs 731.35 billion. Exports revenues grew at 35 per cent and the domestic market at a consistent 27.2 per cent (roughly the same for three years now).

According to a study by CyberMedia group’s flagship publication Dataquest in its 20th "DQ Top 20" annual survey of the Indian IT industry, BPO Services grew 33.5 per cent to touch Rs 378 billion and Engineering services grew to Rs 41.46 billion.

According to Dataquest, the number of Internet users (over 15 years of age and above) in the country touched 23 million during the year with nine million Internet connections, including 2.6 million broadband connections.

BSNL and MTNL enjoyed almost two-thirds of the subscriber base. The industry is targeting 60 million Internet connections by 2010. Internet services revenues grew by a quarter to reach Rs 204 billion.