What comparative advantage did India have in entering high-tech markets like software development?

India had several comparative advantages that allowed it to enter high-tech markets like software development:

1. Abundant Skilled Labor: India has a large pool of English-speaking professionals with technical skills. The country produces hundreds of thousands of engineers and computer science graduates every year. This provides a significant advantage in the global software development market, where English is the primary language of communication and technical skills are in high demand.

2. Cost Advantage: The cost of labor in India is significantly lower than in many Western countries. This allows Indian software companies to provide high-quality services at a lower cost, making them competitive in the global market.

3. Time Zone Advantage: India's time zone (IST) is 5.5 hours ahead of GMT. This allows Indian companies to offer round-the-clock services to clients in different parts of the world, especially to those in the West.

4. Government Policies: The Indian government has implemented several policies to promote the IT sector, including tax incentives, the establishment of IT parks with state-of-the-art infrastructure, and initiatives to improve IT education and training.

5. Early Adoption of IT: Indian companies were early adopters of IT and quickly recognized the potential of software development as a key growth sector. This early adoption gave them a head start in the global software development market.

6. Diaspora: The Indian diaspora, particularly in the U.S., has played a significant role in facilitating business connections and partnerships between Indian and foreign companies. This has helped Indian software companies to expand their global reach and access new markets.