NAIROBI. Sept 8: India can show the way to Africa and developing nations on how thriving small industries can lead to economic growth, visiting Indian officials said here.

"India is ideally placed to help Africa develop thriving technological enterprises. Much of the country's technological and engineering prowess has its roots In lending technological support to agriculture." G?D. Shah, chairman of India's Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC). said.

"And technological improvements have helped the country transform from a major Importer into a net exporter of equipment and expertise."

Shan was here for the India Tech '98 exposition jointly organised by the EEPC and the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion

Council (ESC).

India can prove to Africa that small Industries hold the key to economic progress, O.N. Vaid. Joint Secretary of Electronics in the Ministry of Commerce, said. A small business in India is an enterprise with an annual turnover of up to $700,000.

"India has over two-and-a-half million small-scale engineering enterprises. Over 16 million people make a living directly from these enterprises^ Small Industries are the backbone of our economy," Vald told India Abroad News Service.

"Our dramatic success in the fields of electronics and computer software technology, telecommunications eauipment and information technology Is based on our achievements tn technical education." ESC managing director D.K. Sa-

reen said. "If Africa wants to achieve progress, it must prioritise micro-chip, computer hardware and telecommunications training."

"A testimony to India's success In technical training," he added. "Is the American giant Microsoft. Of the 70,000 Microsoft employees, more than 20,000 are of Indian origin. And out of last year's Fortune 500 ranking of leading software firms. 169 were Indian."

Roop N. Bhardwaj. Deputy Director-General of the Telecommunications Department. stressed that research and training were the key to India's success in the field. He said government-sponsored centres for development of telematics had developed a wide range of telephone exchanges ana other telecommunications

equipment. The research centres had helped India produce its own telecommunications "which can rival foreign competitors in quality and beat them on price’'.

N.P. Damanla. adviser on technology to the Department of Telecommunications, said: "The Indian telecommunlca tions company ITI produces complete digitally-operated rural exchanges whose cost per line is about half that of foreign competitors. Besides, the similarities between Indian and African climates make Indian products ideally suited for the continent."

The four-day India Tech '98 last week was described by visitors and participants alike as "extremely successful".

'The exhibition was a major initiative to strengthen India-

Africa cooperation." Indian High Commissioner Rajiv Bhatia said. With its focus on promoting linkages In the small-scale Industiy sector and facilitating transfer of appropriate technology and investments, the fair will, in the short and medium term, doubtless bring rich dividends to small ana medium companies specialising in electronics, engineering, telecommunications and Information technology fields."

Officials and entrepreneurs alike offered Indian expertise in setting up Joint ventures In Africa, especially East Africa. Top Kenyan officials and bust ness leaders expressed the need to strengthen economic and political ties between India and Kenya.

Among those who visited India Tech '98 were Kenya's Industrial Development Minister

Francis

Masakhalia, Investment Promotion Council Chairman Joseph N.K. arap Ng'ok. National Chamber of commerce and Industry chairman Kassim Owango. Federation of Kenya Employers chairman Hirjee Shah. Kenya Association of Manufactures chief Chris Kirubi. Trade and Industrial Development Ministry Permanent Secretary Francis Awuor.

All of them acknowledged that India Tech had demonstrated the country’s "tremendous progress" in various fields. They stressed the need for developing countries to discard their Eurocentric mentality which forced them to go in for "white elephant" projects using Western equipment Instead of reliable and "cost-effective" Indian technology and expertise to hasten Africa's development.