From: Hardeep Singh Puri alMNIMI > To: "Jeffrey E." <[email protected]> Cc: Reid Hoffman <a> Subject: Jeff, Reed : Greetings from a friend in New Delhi Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 08:22:35 +0000 Jeff/ Reed, Jeff, I briefed you on my discussions with Reed in Silicon Valley on 3 October. Your reaction was that Reed should visit India sooner rather than later. Back in India, since mid-October, I am now convinced more than ever that India today presents a terrific opportunity for internet-based economic activity. The Japanese telecom and internet giant, Soft Bank, to mention just one example, announced recently that it had laid out plans to invest US$ 10 billion in the Indian e-commerce space over the next 10 years. Snapdeal, an Indian entity is the first recipient of US$ 600 million in funding. The market buzz is strengthened by the election of a new Government with a strong mandate bent on reviving the Indian economy with a major focus on Digital India'. India, with 200 million users, is the world's fastest growing country for internet users. Five million users are added every month and India will have 500 million users by 2018. Newly elected Prime Minister Modi's focus to revive the Indian economy includes an audaciously ambitious plan to expand rural internet coverage to 250,000 villages by 2017 from the existing 130,000. In two years, 150,000 post offices will be transformed into multi-utility centres (providing a range of government services, banking for instance, and not just postal services). Some 250,000 government schools will get broadband and free WiFi and all schoolbooks will have e-versions. Another major focus of the Modi government is the "Make in India" campaign. There are 30 million students enrolled in India's registered Universities. On an average, 10 million of these enter the job market every year. Another 5 million or so enter the job market straight from school or otherwise. In order to make India's GDP grow by 8 t