Information technology and power: Head of the MinComSvyaz suggested come out with a strategy of development of the digital economy of Russia

Russia needs to move away from the isolated development of the sector of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the direction of taking care of the national digital economy as a whole. Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov stated about a need for this at the XX St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). He has discussed the prospects of development of the digital economy of Russia with representatives of the Russian IT industry and international business in the course of events of the forum.

“We need to gradually move away from the archaic strategy of development of the Information Society, which objective is a separate development of the ICT industry, and move on to the development of the digital economy of the country, where the industry challenge of ICT is to improve the efficiency of the economy and the state as a whole,” - the minister said at “A Digital Transformation of Russia” panel discussion. - We need to adequately respond to the acceleration of technological progress and to change government regulation, so a digital transformation of the economy became possible."

Head of the MinComSvyaz said that in the present conditions any form of support to the ICT industry is actually an investment into the entire country's economy.

“Relying more in our country’s development on information technology, we must remember that we often incensing our dependence on foreign suppliers, - said Nikolai Nikiforov. - Therefore, the movement in the direction of the digital economy should be implemented simultaneously with import substitution and support of our own IT industry - so the domestic technologies could get into national economy."