Hail Bangalore!! Hail India!!

I’m an avid blog reader. Actually, I started writing blogs because I’ve, myself , followed many blogs for years. Just continuing my habit of reading blogs, I recently read a blog on Obama’s outburst against US companies that are involved in outsourcing. So, I got an idea of writing something on the same topic.

Our politicians can really take a leaf out of Obama’s intentions of fulfilling promises, which he made during his election campaign. One such promise was to stop job loss in US because of outsourcing. This man is taking each of his promises one by one and this is really commendable. But all his moves to counter recession smell of highly condemned socialism. And this is coming from the self-proclaimed champion of capitalism who has been teaching the whole world how to do business since time immemorial!!

This policy of protectionism is not new. It has been followed by the capitalist countries whenever their own share has been in danger (remember the time when Japan flooded US market with its small cars??).

 Mr. Obama’s recent remark against the companies “which are creating jobs in Bangalore, India and not in Buffalo, NY” has its own set of supporters and critics. The supporters consist precisely of the general public of US that, like any other country’s common people, has been lured by populist measures. The accusation of Obama against companies, which are indulged in outsourcing, as tax evaders holds little water. Can it be possible for companies to outsource just because they don’t want to pay taxes? And all that talk of low-cost-high-skilled human resources and improved efficiency doesn’t seem logical to the policy makers of Obama administration. And what about many other indirect advantages of outsourcing like creation of more jobs for the home country citizens by the way of giving companies room for more expansion and investment through the cost that has been saved?

But its politics to talk of populist measures even if they are illogical. In this whole episode, Obama has done one thing unintentionally and that is – he has given Bangalore the kind of publicity which would have taken many more years if would have done only by Infy’s and Wipros of Indian silicon valley. Now, the name “Bangalore” has been firmly pasted into the minds of many people across the globe. He has proved himself to be the best ambassador of the Brand Bangalore in particular and Brand India in all.

Indians have often been accused of being xenophobic. It’s heartening to see as an Indian that accusers have now become the accused. The statements made by Obama are not going to affect India at all (courtesy: Narayana Murthy and other dignitories) but it will, in turn, create more business opportunities in India. We hope that the corporate world in US will make the policy makers to see the benefits of outsourcing and stop this policy of unwarranted protectionism.