The government is taking a delegation representing India's hardware services sector to the US in an attempt to promote the sector in the global market.

During the visit, scheduled for mid-October, the delegation will meet big investors in the hardware sector in the US. This is the first time such a visit has been planned by the government.

The government wants to bring in foreign investment in areas like hardware manufacturing, component manufacturing, hardware assembly, and designing and chip manufacturing.

It also wants to attract a part of the investments that China, Taiwan and other countries in the region attracts now.

The delegation is expected to meet key executives from IBM, Hewlett Packard, Sun, Intel, AMD, SGI, Apple and Dell.

"The meetings with the key executives from these companies are aimed at promoting India as a hardware destination and bringing in fresh investment into the country in the hardware sector," an information technology department official said.

As in the case of software, cost advantages and the quality of manpower will be the main selling points for India.

The hardware promotion strategy also includes convincing the global majors to source components from India as well as sub-contract manufacturing to Indian companies.

According to latest estimates, hardware exports from the country grew over 17 per cent in 2001-02 to reach Rs 5,800 crore (Rs 58 billion). India is targeting $10 billion by 2008.

Projections also show that hardware exports from the country will grow at about 15 per cent in the current financial year.

The hardware sector had identified countries like South Korea, Japan and the US as the key markets for attracting investment to the country.