Bangalore: The fifth annual Bangalore IT.com, projected as Asia's largest international IT exhibition, gets underway from October 28 with participation from 17 countries and spotlight being on emerging sectors within IT - business process outsourcing, e-governance, banking and finance.

Karnataka IT Minister D B Inamdar told reporters in Bangalore on October 25 that President A P J Abdul Kalam would open the five-day event and would chair a panel discussion on e-governance conference, "IT for the Common Man".

Initiated by Karnataka government in partnership with Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), the event aims at facilitating business between technology companies.

Inamdar said business transactions at the 2001 edition, which saw 2,45,000 visitors from 15 countries, were to the tune of $ 250 million, and this year the expectations were more.

According to Karnataka IT Secretary, Vivek Kulkarni, the event would provide a platform for the global ICT (Information, Communication, Technology) industry to launch its latest products and services and exchange information on pertinent market issues.

Director of STPI, Bangalore, B V Naidu, said 17 countries have confirmed participation, adding, 10 to 11 states would also attend.

Organisers said there would be more than 250 participants from different parts of the world.

PTI