National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM)
Definition
What is NASSCOM?
The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) is an industry association representing the IT-BPM services industry in India.
It is committed to establishing India as a leader in technology founded on trust, technological advancements, and sustainability.
Since its inception in 1988, NASSCOM has been at the forefront of the industry’s contribution to India’s economy in terms of employment, infrastructure, and global visibility. It also boasts its achievement of transforming the industry into a global powerhouse.
Currently, NASSCOM has over 3,000 members, which constitute 90% of the sector’s revenue.
What does NASSCOM do
NASSCOM provides various services to its members, from network opportunities to industry research and development.
It has built specific councils and initiatives addressing the needs of the IT-BPM industry and different destinations in India.
Being led by its member companies, it has a strong member connection program that helps form its initiatives. Each member can engage and represent their sector in sharing industry insights, building brand awareness, and leveraging growth opportunities.
Moreover, the organization has specific councils catering to specific regions, products, and business sizes.
NASSCOM’s strategic imperative
NASSCOM’s strategic imperative focuses on five areas of improvement:
Talent
The organization ensures the Indian workforce is equipped with the skills and experience they need in the future through upskilling and reskilling.
It shows its commitment to developing talents in the IT-BPM industry through the following:
- SSC NASSCOM. Sector Skill Council (SSC NASSCOM) prioritizes IT-TeS skills development to strengthen the country as a global digital talent hub.
- FutureSkills Prime. FutureSkills Prime is designed as India’s hub for technology skilling. It aims to transform the country into a digital talent nation through the democratization of learning.
Innovation
NASSCOM strengthens the country’s transformation and impact in technological advancements such as AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cybersecurity. They apply these technologies in key verticals, including healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture.
The organization invests in the following efforts to improve innovation across the industry:
- Centre of Excellence – IoT and AI. This is a cutting-edge innovation hub centered on helping stakeholders adopt technological advancements. It comprises combined efforts from startups, innovators, enterprises, and the Indian government.
- Centre of Excellence – AI and Data Science. On the other hand, this hub focuses on enabling technology ecosystems across Karnataka. It aims to position the state as a global destination for AI-enabled services.
- INDIAai. Lastly, NASSCOM’s INDIAai serves as an all-in knowledge portal, ecosystem builder, and collaboration hub across the country. It is intended to help India prepare for an AI-driven future.
Trust
NASSCOM pushes for developing India’s technology sector through policy advocacy and implementation. They work closely with institutions, companies, and the government to shape laws strengthening user trust, innovation, and ease of doing business.
The organization’s policy advocacy focuses on four areas, namely:
- Technology policy. This covers areas like net neutrality, IPR, and defense offsets.
- Regulations. Regulations cover accounting standards, SEZ, STPI, and startups.
- Bills. This involves consumer protection, foreign trade, and labor relations.
- Union budget and taxation. It covers budget submissions, transfer pricing, and service tax.
Markets
NASSCOM targets the industry’s growth to US$350 billion by 2025. For this, they invest in the following efforts to build and expand their market opportunities.
- Global trade division. NASSCOM’s global trade division empowers the IT-BPM industry in the global market through strategic alliances and policy interventions.
- India market development. Meanwhile, the India Market Development initiative entails partnerships with certain stakeholders in India for technologies and verticals.
Inclusion
Lastly, NASSCOM fuels innovation focused on impact and innovation through thought leadership programs for its members and partners.
They hold industry events, research opportunities, and member communications to share learnings and insights between leaders. In addition, members can utilize their community platform to connect with each other.
Independent
