With India emerging as a major data conversion centre for geographic information systems (GIS), its software service companies would continue to impress upon the US administration not to ban outsourcing of government contracts to India, an expert said on Wednesday.

"Software services and business process outsourcing companies in the country need not worry about the proposed US law barring outsourcing of governments contracts to India," said Kiran Karnik, President, National Association of Software and Service Companies inaugurating a three-day international conference in New Delhi on mapping technologies 'Map India 2004'.

The export size of the Indian GIS industry was around $100 million of which 60 per cent was exported to North America alone, he said.

"The industry here would provide data to the US industry to support the claim that outsourcing was in the mutual interest of both the countries," he said.

The industry alone employs over 10,000 people and provides an opportunity to add totally new dimensions to the old concept of maps, president, Centre for Spatial Data and Management Services, M P Narayanan said.

Stressing on the need of making Geographic Information System and environment as compulsory subject for students of technical, business and economic schools, he said it would provide sustainable trade environment in future.

With the integration of information through spatial links, the ability to take decision has been enhanced substantially, he added.