New Delhi: Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates on November 12 announced a major investment of about Rs 2000 crore in India over the next three years and said it would be the company's largest set of investment outside the US aimed at forging strong Indian partnerships.

"This would be the largest set of investment we have done outside US. The investment of $ 400 million (Rs 2000 crore) would span education, partnerships, localisation and development activities," Gates, who is currently on a four-day visit to India, told reporters in New Delhi.

Continuing the investment in its Indian Development Centre, the company would invest $ 100 million over the next three years and increase its strength to 500 professionals by 2005 from the current 200.

Gates said Microsoft would invest in skills development and .Net readiness of its Indian partners to enable them to leverage global opportunities around. . Net, which in simple terms is a software to connect information, people, systems and devices.

"India is of strategic importance as its developer and skill base continue to grow. Today an increasing number of .Net projects across globe are being developed by talented Indian companies; the Indian developer community is creating next generation .Net applications," Gates said.

In order to accelerate computer literacy at the school level, Microsoft would initiate project "Shiksha", as part of which 80,000 school teachers and 3.5 million students would be covered over the next five years.

PTI