The Internet, with its myriad links and hyperlinks to over 600 trade databases is just waiting to be tapped, feels Singh. Lack of enthusiasm on the part of small business was clearly evident at a recently held technical training workshop in New Delhi. Titled, `Internet & Other Sources of Business Information for International Trade', the interactive programme on access to electronic sources of business information was the first of its kind in India.

It was organisedby NCTI in association with the International Trade Centre, UNCTAD/WTO, Geneva. "Keeping in mind its significance to the Indian trading community, the programme was highly subsidised (Rs 25,000 per participant, while the actual cost to NCTI and WTO worked out to Rs 70,000)," says Singh.

However, the response from entrepreneurs and various export promotion bodies was lackadaisical. Of the 30 seats on offer, there were barely 25 participants in the five-day programme.

The reasons for such lacklustre response are not hard to find. "Businesses in developing countries are yet to learn to pay for trade information," says Evelyn Bomingo-Barker, Trade Information Network Officer, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and one of the resource faculty for the programme. "In most of these countries, till recently the government had the onus of disseminating business information.

Most entrepreneurs are yet to get out of the habit of free access to information." But the process ofglobalisation and economic liberalisation has seen the roles of government changing who are now moving out of business and concentrating more on governance. Businesses too are learning to fend for themselves in a increasingly competitive world. "In such an environment, entrepreneurs have to learn to pay for their market and trade intelligence to remain competitive," says Barker.

It is a slow learning process for the Indian business to open up to new sources of business information, feels Bertrand Joceur Monrozier, senior advisor with UNCTAD/ WTO, a resource faculty for the workshop. "Similar programmes held in South America have been a hit with the exporter community. Banks in Mexico have come forward to give market information to entrepreneurs. The Indian programme is the first of its kind in Asia," says Monrozier. "With more exposure, India too will tread the same path," feels Barker. It is not that Indian business is totally oblivious of the benefits of accessing on-line databases and trade opportunitieson the Internet.

Sadhana Mudgal of Delhi-based Lark Laboratories, one of the participants in the workshop, has been a regular Net surfer for business information. "Though the process of collating and scanning relevant information is cumbersome and tedious, nevertheless the information is useful," says Mudgal. She feels that a little hand-holding by experts will yield better results in terms of saving time and effort. "Workshops like these will help business to tide over the initial hesitation in using new media."

Anil Patni, information officer, European Union, too feels that businesses will be encouraged to use on-line facilities if they are able to expedite their search. "A ready access of useful websites will come in handy."

"We are looking for more buyers and trade statistics," says a manufacturer of electrical component parts who wanted to enter the export market. Apurva Kothari of Export-Import Bank of India feels that workshops like these will help the bank to address concerns of exporter andimporter community better.

For Abdullah-al-Kabir, a delegate from Bangladesh, having access to on-line database was important. "Our country is in the process of setting up a International Trade Centre for Jute. It is important for our manufacturers to have ready access to trade opportunities." Adds Masud R Siddique of Export Promotion Bureau, Bangladesh, that his country is in the process of starting a tradepoint at Dhaka in a few weeks time. "The sooner our businesses get used to accessing international databases, the better for them." The same applies to Indian entrepreneurs, especially those dealing with international trade, feels Monrozier. "Given that competition in global trade arena is at a cut-throat level, it is high time Indian business realises that the cost of missing out on business opportunities is going to be high."