President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Saturday called for more co-operation between India and the Philippines in the IT sector to increase the bilateral trade as well as to transform the two nations into "knowledge-powered" societies.
"Your country too, has worked hard and become a credible IT-enabled service provider to the world and India is ready and willing to join hands in selective partnership with you," Dr Kalam said in his speech at a banquet hosted by his Filipino counterpart Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo here.
"In some areas we are in competition with each other for world markets: however, this should only make us more respectful of each other’s abilities and willing to engage in serious ‘co-optition’ — a word coined, I believe, by a prominent Filipino gentlemen, Dr. Bernardo Villegas. However, in IT both our countries have to travel together to transform our nations as a knowledge powered society," Dr Kalam said. "On our part, we would like to learn from your animation and graphic skills and also to develop caring and nurturing services, such as tourism and nursing, for which the Filipino is justly renowned," he added. Dr Kalam is the first Indian President to visit the country in 15 years. Expressing satisfaction at deepening and diversifying of the bilateral relations after a long period of stagnation, he said: "Our trade last year grew by 30 per cent to $577 million and for the first time, exports from the Philippines to India grew faster than did our exports to you. Our companies have been showing interest in exploring, opportunities for investment in IT, pharmaceuticals and steel."
"Your country too, has worked hard and become a credible IT-enabled service provider to the world and India is ready and willing to join hands in selective partnership with you," Dr Kalam said in his speech at a banquet hosted by his Filipino counterpart Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo here.
"In some areas we are in competition with each other for world markets: however, this should only make us more respectful of each other’s abilities and willing to engage in serious ‘co-optition’ — a word coined, I believe, by a prominent Filipino gentlemen, Dr. Bernardo Villegas. However, in IT both our countries have to travel together to transform our nations as a knowledge powered society," Dr Kalam said. "On our part, we would like to learn from your animation and graphic skills and also to develop caring and nurturing services, such as tourism and nursing, for which the Filipino is justly renowned," he added. Dr Kalam is the first Indian President to visit the country in 15 years. Expressing satisfaction at deepening and diversifying of the bilateral relations after a long period of stagnation, he said: "Our trade last year grew by 30 per cent to $577 million and for the first time, exports from the Philippines to India grew faster than did our exports to you. Our companies have been showing interest in exploring, opportunities for investment in IT, pharmaceuticals and steel."