Check against delivery

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

Let me share with you the grief and sorrow in the untimely death of the head of NASSCOM, Mr. Mehta. He was a driving force for the IT industry in India as well as for our seminar to-day. I can but honour his life’s achievement.

I have been told that there are 325 languages spoken in India. The difference between Norwegian and each and every one of these languages is tremendous.

To-day, we are gathered to celebrate a language which crosses all such barriers.

It is a pleasure to join you at this seminar. It is a pleasure to focus with you on the co-operation between my country and India in the field of information and communications technology.

I have the privilege to visit India in an official capacity. My delegation and I are here to nurture Norway's relations with one of the world's great democracies. We are here to expand relations with one of the world’s fastest growing economies.

Information technology is an important part of this effort.

Future historians might look back on the 40-year span between 1980 and 2020 and call it unique. This time span might be one of those handful of historical periods when humans reorganised their entire civilisation around a new tool, a new idea. These decades mark the transition from the Industrial Age to the Digital Age. From an era organised on the engine by mechanical engineers - to an era defined by the chips within computers.

A similar transition occurred more than 1000 years ago. Then, Indian mathematicians established modern algebra with its dramatic effect on human society ever since. To-day, India is once again in the forefront of the technological development.

It is no surprise, then, that the interest among Norwegian companies for business relations with India is growing, in particular within information technology.

I welcome this development. I encourage it. Information technology development is a key element in overall industrial and economic policy. That policy aims at easing the transformation of society.

In order to secure the welfare of our citizens, we need to:

Encourage innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship,

we must have an adaptable industry working within a competitive framework, and a stable framework,

and we must grasp that new technology to provide for future employment, growth and welfare.

Norway has come a long way in its transition to an information society. The extensive use of information technology in my country encourages the development of support industries selling, installing and maintaining equipment and software.

Yet, this is not sufficient to reach our goal.

That is why we have launched eNorway.

The eNorway plan aims at accelerating a knowledge-based society. By employing new technology we will make use of the whole country and our entire population. We want to increase the value of our output. We want to safeguard our public services.

eNorway is an operative plan. It describes where we are, what has to be done, who is responsible, and when the actions are to be implemented. It will be revised every six months. And monthly I receive reports on the follow-up.

My country has the privilege of a well-educated work force, a technologically advanced industry and a well-developed ICT sector. Norway has a good foundation for reaching those ambitious long-term objectives.

We cannot, however, reach our goals alone.

The knowledge economy is global. Companies face competition at a world-wide level. A study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology termed these companies "Born Globals."

These entrepeneurs need assistance. Therefore, my government recently launched an export and internationalisation strategy for the ICT industry.

This strategy aims at:

securing personnel with the right skills,

securing favourable terms for international companies in Norway, and

supporting Norwegian ICT companies in foreign markets.

To-day, at our seminar, we meet in this spirit.

My government will support the networks, alliances and co-operation with innovative and competitive companies and environments.

That is why we are in Bangalore.

In October last year, NASSCOM and several Indian ICT companies visited Oslo to meet with Norwegian counterparts. To-day, we follow up this contact. We build on what has already been achieved. We will explore new opportunities.

I will thank NASSCOM for their professional assistance in providing these excellent facilities. I will thank the Norwegian Trade Council for organising the delegation of Norwegian ICT companies.

I wish you the best in your endeavours, and a successful seminar.