Mikhail Mishustin: “The main goal is to formulate the software needs of Russian industries and propose mechanisms for introducing and replicating the software we need. The centres have announced about 100 projects worth over 140 billion roubles for this purpose. The planned scale of corporate investment exceeds 90 billion roubles.”
Strategic session on software import substitution
Mikhail Mishustin:
Good afternoon, colleagues,
The President has instructed us to ensure that we are independent of foreign technology. We continue drafting measures on developing domestic software.
Today, we will discuss what the competence centres have done in various economic sectors including transport, agriculture, trade, communications and metallurgy. The main goal is to formulate the software needs of Russian industries and propose mechanisms for introducing and replicating the software we need. The centres have announced about 100 projects worth over 140 billion roubles for this purpose. The planned scale of corporate investment from several companies exceeds 90 billion roubles.
I would like to draw the attention of the so-called anchor contractors to the following: creating conditions for the development of domestic IT solutions and introducing them in the market is a common effort for the Government and for business.
We will provide support whenever software requires serious development. I am referring to basic functionality. Of course, we will co-finance a considerable part of the costs. We allocated the necessary funds in drafting our budget for the next three years.
At the same time, businesses are responsible for the acquisition of software, any modifications, and for its use.
I will tell you in brief what support mechanism we are suggesting.
The Government is prepared to reimburse contractors for the majority – up to 80 percent – of the capital needed to modify their core product for these requirements. We will allocate special grants for this purpose. We have already discussed this in detail.
We plan to co-finance the introduction of a domestic software product if a company has already bought a foreign programme and paid for it. The company will then have to completely stop using the foreign product.
I’d like to make one more comment on the recent session. We saw two different approaches to the plans on developing domestic software.
In the first, companies will primarily rely on Government budget resources for co-financing the related costs.
In the second, industry leaders said they would, for the most part, develop products to their needs themselves. Advanced companies in electronics engineering, chemicals and the oil-and-gas sector suggested they would use this approach, showing a good example of corporate responsibility in technology.
I would like to mention separately the development of new products by the IT subsidiaries of our anchor customers.
We agreed from the beginning that the developer would keep the rights to a software product modified with Government support so it could be promoted further in the market. However, for now, the developers will limit themselves to a head company, in most cases, for a product introduction. This is why we need additional mechanisms for the support and replication of these projects. These products must become accessible to several companies. This is an indispensable condition for the dynamic development of the entire industry.
It is necessary to create modern and competitive products. To ensure the continuation of this work, specialists at accredited IT companies are exempt from the partial mobilisation, which will allow their companies to focus on developing the new and important products that are needed in different industries.
Colleagues,
The Government will sign agreements with the companies that are developing and introducing domestic products. We will fix control points and functional releases in a roadmap. This also applies to the companies that plan to develop IT solutions at their own expense. Large, backbone companies are assuming this commitment.
It is important to fulfil our plans on schedule. As I said, your responsibility in this respect is indisputable. I hope you will accomplish these goals and confirm that you can be relied upon.
