New Delhi, Aug 14 : The Centreâ??s Software Technology Park (STP) scheme, which has accelerated the expansion of Indiaâ??s IT sector, has emerged as a major foreign exchange earner for the country with annual exports surpassing Rs 7.73 crore in financial year 2025-26, according to information tabled in Parliament by the Ministry of Electronics & IT.

The STP scheme is a 100 per cent export-oriented scheme to promote software and IT-enabled services (IT/ITeS) exports from India and as many 2,2125 Software technology Parks have been set up nationwide.

Measures taken by the Software technology Parks of India (STPI) to streamline approvals and improve ease of doing business for STP units include providing statutory services on a single-window clearance system. The total investment made in STPs during the financial year 2025-26 was Rs 7,362.86 crore, according to the statement.

STPI has been providing seamless services to the IT exporters, statutory services including SOFTEX filing, its approval and final intimation to them has been automated. This has ensured speedy delivery of services to the satisfaction of the IT industry, the statement said.

STPIâ??s online system for IT exporters has been integrated with the Reserve Bank of Indiaâ??s EDPMS for sharing of export data. This integration has enabled seamless electronic transmission of export declaration data to RBI in near real-time. This has facilitated faster exchange of export data, enhanced accuracy and transparency, reduced manual intervention, improved monitoring of export transactions, and streamlined regulatory compliance for IT/ITeS exporters.

The earlier practice of case-to-case import permissions has been replaced with blanket import permissions for the financial year concerned.

The requirement for prior DTA permissions for STPI-registered units has been replaced with a submission of self-declaration (except for advance DTA sales in the first year of operation).

The Government of India has launched several initiatives and programmes to support the expansion of the IT sector and is constantly working to promote the sector throughout the country, the statement added.

/IANS