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Out of a total of 122,000 new engineers, almost 73,000-85,000 are ready to join the software industry on an annual basis. Others migrate overseas or join end-user organizations. Most of these technical workers are being supplied by educational institutions and polytechnics and the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). In addition, thousands of other technical personnel trained by private institutes are also available.

The coming of age of private sector computer education has also helped the country further bolster the technical prowess of its manpower base. Computer training today is not only provided in conventional ways; it has also moved up the value chain to encompass the Internet. Concepts therefore such as e-learning and distance learning are becoming accepted as the new ways of imparting IT-based training. A host of companies in fact have come up to offer education on the Internet.

A company offering a unique combination of products including computer-based training, Internet, multimedia and e-commerce solutions, is Tata Interactive Systems (TIS). The company is a leading custom developer of interactive computer based training offerings for which it has even received an ISO 9001 certification by DNV, UK. TIS is also certified by SEI at CMM Level 4.

Set up in 1991, TIS has an impressive client base of over 200 customers across countries such as the USA, UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Denmark, Singapore and Honk Kong, for whom the company has developed a wide range of CBT and WBT (Web Based Training) products. Its custom products have been developed across industries and applications and include consulting, designing, developing and implementing: corporate universities; technical training for various manufacturing industries, including: telecommunications, financial services training, soft skills training, induction and orientation training, product training, call center training, process training, knowledge management and digital collaboration.

TIS employs over 300 multi-disciplinary specialists engaged in courseware product development. Their skills include training needs analysis, instructional design, software design, programmers, authoring, subject matter experts (including telecommunication), technical writers and editors, graphic developers, audio and video specialists and testing and quality assurance. At a time when the world is trying to source its training and manpower needs from India, TIS has emerged as the leading company to provide software, e-commerce, multimedia and training solutions.

Offshore Software Development

Infrastructure

It is not only the growing bank of Indian software professionals, which bring laurels to the Indian software industry, but also the innovative methods of development and delivery. One of the unique methods used by Indian software companies to deliver competitive advantage to clients is its offshore software development. Despite an average 12-hour time difference with India, a high-speed data link can provide a client in the US with a virtual 24-hour office environment.

Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) is India's telecom gateway to the world. The company pioneered high-speed data-communication in India and provides high-speed datacom links to virtually every software company in the country. Over the last eight years VSNL has installed more than 1,200 high-speed leased circuits within these, companies, including 64 kbps links and 2 Mbps links for videoconferencing. A major portion of India's software exports can be attributed to VSNL's efforts in providing such high-speed links.

VSNL is also India's leading ISP, providing highly reliable Internet connectivity to thousands of subscribers. VSNL also delivers telecoms infrastructure for 17 enabled services. Thanks to its confident management and helpful staff, VSNL has become a favourite among software companies in India.

Software development today is not just confined to few cities of India. Prominent development venues include Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Calcutta, Bhubaneshwar, Ahemdabad, Vadodara, Trivandrum, Chennai, Goa, Chandigarh, Mumbai, the Delhi-Noida-Gurgaon belt, Indore, Jaipur and Lucknow.

Most of these cites have state-of-the-art software facilities and the presence of a large number of overseas vendors. The role of the IT parks and STPs (Software Technology Parks) in providing global class infrastructure for facilitating software development has also been key.

Indian hotels, including leading names such as the Taj Group, have also been playing a very supportive role in the growth of the software sector.