Everyone in the tech industry agrees that India is one big business opportunity. It's a country with a lot of "issues" that the tech industry will like to "solve". And it has millions and millions of consumers who seek digital goods and services.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg finds it is so important that his firm spent millions of dollars recently in an attempt to woo Indians to Free Basics. Microsoft's Satya Nadella believes that India is such a key country that in the last one year he has visited it thrice, meeting senior government officials and policymakers on all occasions. Sundar Pichai of Google believes India is so crucial for his company that to woo its people he played cricket on a Delhi street. Jeff Bezos of Amazon believes so thoroughly in the potential of India that when he came here last year, in an attempt to blend in he leaned out of a truck and posed for photographers.

For the tech Industry, India and its billion plus population, is an untapped market. It has millions and millions of people who are expected to come online in the next few years. China is bigger. But China also has a different set of rules

Even Apple CEO Tim Cook now finds India "unparalleled". Recently, he became the first Apple CEO to visit India. And he not only visited but actually toured India. He partied with Bollywood superstars, watched cricket match and paid his dues at the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai. And yes, just like what many other tech CEOs did while visiting India, he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, probably to discuss the business.

Next big market for tech companies

The list is endless. For Uber, India's already its second biggest market outside the US. For Airbnb, India is its great hope. For Netflix, India is one of its big bets. For every phone maker, including now Apple, India is the next big market because the US and Europe are already saturated and China is slowing down.

For the tech Industry, India and its billion plus population, is an untapped market. It has millions and millions of people who are expected to come online in the next few years. China is bigger. But China also has a different set of rules. Cracking the Chinese market is difficult for Silicon Valley companies. India is relatively easier. Or at least that is the impression it gives out.

But look beyond the impressions. Even as the tech industry has wooed India in the last couple of years -- in its self interest, it must be added -- India hasn't responded with the same enthusiasm. Some of it, for example in the case of Free Basics where TRAI took a stand of not allowing it, is logical. But a lot of it is also arbitrary. See, for example:

This is not to say that Indian government should say yes to everything tech companies demand. The problem with India, however, is not the regulation but the clarity on regulation

-- It can be said that India has made it difficult for marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart to run their business in the way they deem fit with all the new restrictions on pricing and sales promotions etc.

-- India has disallowed Apple's request to sale refurbished phones in the country even when it is the kind of move that is likely to help Indian consumers.

-- India has refused to relax local-sourcing norms for Apple. With these norms in place, the company may not find opening exclusive stores in India feasible.

Also Read: Everything Google CEO Sundar Pichai said at SRCC

-- Indian states have gone after the app-based taxi services like Uber and Ola asking them to meet arbitrary and vague guidelines. Karnataka, for example, has asked Uber and Ola to suspend operations with immediate effect.

-- India has come up with strange draft policies on encryption, digital maps and drones. The government is already revising the draft on encryption policy after an uproar. But all three, if they become norms, are likely to spell doom for many tech companies.

-- Both Google and Microsoft hope to improve net connectivity in India. Microsoft wants to utilise white spaces but has reportedly run into hurdles. Google, meanwhile, is hoping to try internet-beaming balloons but it too has run into problems. Although, Google's partnership with the Indian Railways is working out fine and a number of train stations now have free high-speed WiFi.



No clarity on regulations

Even as the tech companies woo India, there is something holding the country back. The ease of doing business, even if it is the digital business, is not yet there. The government is making all the right noises but none of it is materialising on the ground. Even as the tech CEOs have made a beeline for India, the specific, on-the-ground, announcements haven't come. Today Satya Nadella was in New Delhi. He shared how much he loves Ghalib and how it is time to celebrate India's technology, but there was no specific, big, announcement from Microsoft. Tim Cook spent several days in the country earlier but apart from announcing the opening of two small centres --- one in Hyderabad, one in Bangalore -- he didn't have much to share, even after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Now, this is not to say that Indian government should say yes to everything tech companies demand. In the last couple of years we learnt that not everything was positive about Silicon Valley companies. Many of these companies want to operate in an utopian world where there are no regulations. But the governments cannot and should not allow that. The problem with India, however, is not the regulation but the clarity on regulation.

Also Read: Day 1 of Tim Cook's India visit: Dinner with SRK and 8 other things Apple CEO did in Mumbai

The tech companies are wooing India in their self interest. But India too has a self interest in responding to these tech companies. If there are services and products that can be beneficial to Indian consumers -- in long run and short run both -- the government needs to make it easier for the tech companies to do business. So far, we see that occasionally intent is there. Or at least the talk is there. But for this reason or that, the action part is missing.

