India has high hopes
Every time Gates comes to India, expectations run high and everyone hopes to hear more investment plans from the world's richest man.
This visit is significant, as several global IT and telecom have already announced huge investments in India.
Leading chip-maker Intel Corporation on December 5 announced a multi-year investment plan for India, totalling over $1 billion, including $800 million over the next five years for business expansion.
The world's leading networking firm Cisco said last month that it would invest $1.1 billion over the next 3-4 years.
SemIndia (a consortium of NRI techies) announced last week that it would invest about $3 billion to set up a semiconductor chip manufacturing plant with the help of US-based AMD.
Vodafone decided to spend $1.5 billion last month for buying a 10% stake in Bharti Tele.
After pledging a $400 billion investment to boost R&D and expand operations in India during his last visit in November 2002, Gates is likely to announce huge investment plans this year.
His focus is expected to be on increasing the use of local language software, bridging digital divide, ensuring early IT adoption via education and improving infrastructure.
Image: Microsoft Chief Bill Gates (centre) along with his team of Microsoft professionals in India greet the mediapersons with a traditional 'namaste' at the end of a press conference in New Delhi in 2002.
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