Indian government to unveil new national IT policy by end of 2024

Extensive consultations have been held across five major IT hubs, incorporating insights from over 100 leading companies.
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The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is preparing to announce a new national IT policy, marking a significant update from the National Policy on Information Technology NPIT 2012. The new policy is expected to be finalised by the end of 2024 and aims to address several evolving goals within the IT sector.

The upcoming policy will focus on strengthening Global Capability Centres (GCCs), improving Engineering Research and Development (ER&D), and employment generation. Additionally, there will be a greater emphasis on creating IT products and enhancing the export of IT products and services. The export targets will be set for a shorter timeframe of three to five years, allowing for adaptability in response to the fast-changing industry environment.

MeitY has conducted extensive consultations across five major IT hubs in India – Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, and Bhubaneswar to develop this policy. Over 100 leading companies in the IT sector, including major service firms and startups, contributed their insights during this process. A key takeaway from these discussions was the desire for a broader policy scope that goes beyond just IT services, with a stronger focus on the Indian market and shorter review periods for the policy.

A formal presentation of the draft policy is anticipated to occur before Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, by late October or early November 2024. This timeline aligns with the government’s efforts to ensure the new policy responds to current and future industry needs.