Information and Communication Technologies in India: History and Factors of Success
Indian IT sector is a world known phenomenon of fast-growing industry with remarkable achievements, which were reached within a relatively short period of time. This industry generates massive employment and contributes sufficiently to the GDP of the country. Technological hubs in Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Gurgaon, and especially in Bangalore, are often compared with Silicon Valley. The paper identifies the factors that contribute to the phenomenal development of the sphere of information and communication technologies of India, through the historical analysis of the formation and development of the industry. Existing scientific research is characterized by a certain disciplinary narrowness and a high degree of generalization of the conclusions.Academic papers consider mostly what was done to achieve success, but do not answer the question of how it was implemented.Considering the research subject in the historical context allows us identifying the deeper causes of the processes, and gives an understanding that the effectiveness of many well-known programs and initiatives for the development of information and communication technologies depends significantly on the specifics of the political development and institutional practices of the country of their implementation. The paper explores the origins of the industry from the 1960s and traces its formation and development by shedding light on specific circumstances and obstacles, which the IT sector underwent. This article is of interest both to representatives of the Russian information and communication technology industry, government employees, and experts involved in the developing programs for the advancement of information and communication technologies in Russia.