Acer Computer International Pte Ltd and Wipro Ltd, now India’s largest information technology group, have firmed up the alliance announced at the turn of the year (CI No 2,574) and will establish a joint venture computer manufacturing factory in India; they also plan to establish a software design centre in India. Singapore was chosen for the signing ceremony because New Delhi has no diplomatic relations with Taipei. Wipro Acer Ltd, scheduled to start operation in Bangalore in April, will manufacture and market Acer products under a Wipro-Acer brand name. It will make servers, desktop personal computers, notebooks, and peripherals. Wipro Acer is held 55% by Wipro and 45% by Acer International. Total investment is estimated at $10m to $15m over the next few years, but sales of more than $50m are forecast for the first year, and the target is $150m a year by 1998.Wipro also expects the joint venture to account for 14% of India’s computer market share by March 31 1996. Wipro expects to sign its joint venture agreement with British Telecommunicatons Plc to provide network services such as electronic mail and Electronic Data Interface shortly.
