» Microsoft lines up $1.7 b investments for India — To expand R&D activities; promote IT literacy

Microsoft lines up $1.7 b investments for India — To expand R&D activities; promote IT literacy

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Microsoft lines up $1.7 b investments for India — To expand R&D activities; promote IT literacy

BETTING heavily on India’s IT prowess, the Microsoft Chairman, Mr Bill Gates, today announced an investment of $1.7 billion (Rs 7,858 crore) spread over the next four years to expand its research and development (R&D) activities, and strengthen initiatives aimed at accelerating IT literacy and facilitating affordable access to technology in rural areas.

Microsoft is also planning to grow its India headcount to 7,000 people in the coming 3 to 4 years from the existing 4,000, said Mr Gates, on his fourth visit to India.

“Microsoft will be able to build great products because of the work done by our employees in India and work that we give through our partners. This is the country where percentage increase in our employment figures is going to be absolutely the highest - growing from 4,000 to 7,000 people in the next few years. We are hiring as fast as we reasonably can. We will complement that by the projects that we do with our partners,” said Mr Gates, whose company enjoys desktop dominance with its Operating System `Windows’ installed in about 95 per cent of PCs sold globally.

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