MOSCOW, March 10 (RIA Novosti) - The development...

MOSCOW, March 10 (RIA Novosti) - The development of offshore software programming has become a state priority task in Russia. Participants in the Russian IT market believe that the implementation of measures written into the Conception of the IT Market"s Development in the Russian Federation, that was adopted recently, can make Russia the world"s second country on the IT outsourcing market after India and allow it to outpace China. This information was presented in the Supplement to the Kommersant newspaper. At present, India is the indisputable leader on the IT outsourcing market. It accounts for nearly 40% of this market and accumulates over $11 bln in foreign investments. China is slightly ahead of Russia in terms of turnover on the offshore programming market: last year, this segment of the Chinese market amounted to about $1 bln, whereas the turnover of the Russian offshore programming market should reach $994 mln by the end of this year (by the data of the RUSSOFT Association). In the opinion of Nil Vereshchagin, commercial director of the Russian LUXOFT company, "at present, Russia is trying to take a worthy place in the world industry of ordered programming. High skills of Russian specialists and a developed infrastructure in big Russian cities are the main reasons why Western clients choose our companies." According to RUSSOFT"s forecasts, if the Conception"s provisions are fully implemented, in five to six years the Russian export market of IT services will increase to $10 bln, of which offshore software programming will account for more than a third.

MOSCOW, November 20 (RIA Novosti) - Saudi...

MOSCOW, November 20 (RIA Novosti) - Saudi Arabia wants to build a mosque and an Islamic culture center in Moscow, the Ambassador to Russia Ali Hasan Jafar told Russia"s top Muslim official on Thursday. Ravil Gainutdin, who heads the Russian Mufti Council, told the Saudi envoy that he believed such a project would strengthen ties between the countries. However, he told RIA Novosti that the location and construction date have yet to be agreed. "We would not want to hurry events, as the Saudi side has only declared its intention. The construction of any building, especially a religious one, is a controversial issue, which sometimes can be debated for years," Gainutdin said, adding that the Russian Muslim community is already discussing the issue.

MOSCOW, January 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's...

MOSCOW, January 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's president arrived Thursday in India hoping to strengthen Moscow's economic and military ties with its traditional partner in Asia.