Microsoft, IBM among 11 firms selected for govt cloud service

NEW DELHI: Government has provisionally empanelled 11 firms including Microsoft, IBM, state-owned BSNL and Tata Communications to provide cloud services, Parliament was informed today.

"Government has selected 11 companies for the provisional empanelment of Cloud Service Offerings of Cloud Service Providers," Minister of State for IT and Law PP Chaudhary said in Lok Sabha.

He said the firms are: Microsoft Corporation (India), Hewlett Packard Enterprise India, IBM India, Tata Communications Limited, BSNL, ESDS Software Solutions, Net Magic IT Services, Sify Technologies, CtrlS Data Centers, Cyfuture India and Web Works India.

Under cloud services, companies provide storage, softwares, computing capability through remote location generally on pay as per use model.

Government has been earlier using cloud services from National Informatics Centre and also set-up a cloud project MeghRaj under it to meet its computing requirement.

"BSNL is also one of the empanelled Cloud Service Providers. However, it is not proposed to give any preference to any Cloud Service Provider including BSNL," Chaudhary said.