Showcasing the growing ties with the expanding IT sector in the Middle East, a number of Indian companies are displaying their profiles and software services at the India pavilion at the 2011 Internet show in Abu Dhabi.

The India Pavilion was opened by Indian Ambassador to the UAE, M K Lokesh, who spoke about the expanding IT market in Middle East particularly in Abu Dhabi in view of the focus laid on e-learning and e-governance.

The Middle East region is one of the fastest growing IT markets in the world. High growth prevails across all segments, and the market is driven by economic diversification and various e-government initiatives including finance, communications, and manufacturing.

The UAE is currently spending USD 11.4 billion on Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and that figure is set to rise to USD 14.8 billion by 2011, Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) said.

"ESC is laying considerable importance in tapping the Gulf market as a part of our proactive policy to identify newer destinations for IT exports to insulate the Indian IT companies from sporadic shock which they experience on account of dependence on few global markets," Kamal Vachani, Regional Director, ESC Middle East said.

ESC is India's largest electronics and IT trade facilitation body which is making efforts to enhance the participation of Indian companies in the show.

The IT products displayed at the India Pavilion were from areas as diverse as open source software development in PHP and ROR, search engine optimisation (SEO), ready shopping cart, rental sites and CRM products for sale, among others. Product range also includes information security, risk assessment and iPhone apps development.

To further strengthen the IT relations between India and the Middle East, ESC is inviting a large delegation from Middle East to visit India for an IT global networking event, to be held from 23-25 March in Hyderabad, next year to be attended by around 400 software and services buyers from over 75 countries.

The e-initiatives and innovative projects being undertaken in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are set to bring about an e-revolution which can transform not only the ICT landscape in Middle East but also boost the ICT export from India in a big way, ESC said.