One would think that no one would like to sport a fake painting, brand or would like to have stolen food, or use pirated computer software and movies. Well, the ‘one’ who thinks like that in India, seems to be amusingly just one, as millions seem to be thinking otherwise. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), India accounts for 75% of the global piracy market and is now rated amongst the top pirating countries. IDC claims that there could be 1,150,000 new job openings with even 10% decrease in piracy. They estimate that with every 10% decrease in piracy, almost $15 billion additional revenues and $386 million as tax revenues could be pumped in.
Great words, greater numbers, but try saying that to the ‘pirates’ and to the buyers of such pirated products. Unless the government supports software corporations and movie houses in making high profile arrests under clear media glare, and unless the judiciary ensures that the fines and the prison sentences are prohibitively high, piracy will be as common as jumping a red light in the lovely roads of Delhi and giving bribes to traffic police... Well, that’s another story!