ICT spending: China beats India

The Indian government's spending on information and communication technology is projected to decline by about 5.4 per cent in 2005 while the Chinese government is expected to spend 18 per cent more next year than it did the previous year, according to a report.

Indian government sector (including all central and local government agencies) was expected to spend about $3953.2 million in 2005, compared to $4177.7 million in 2004, said Digital Planet 2004, the flagship publication of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance.

WITSA is a consortium of leading IT industry associations in over 60 countries, representing more than 15,000

companies.

In comparison, the Chinese government sector's spending on ICT will touch a whopping $10,939.2 million next year, up by over 18 per cent from $9,198.8 million in 2004, it said.

The Chinese government's spending on ICT grew by an average 20 per cent over the last four years. The Chinese government sector's ICT spending was $4535.4 million in 2000, compared to India's $2217.7 million, the report said.

The ICT spending takes into account the spending on computer hardware, computer software, computer services and communications by the government, PSUs, state PSUs and other government agencies.