Engineering recruits at the Tata Consultancy Services training centre in Trivandrum.
Engineering recruits at the Tata Consultancy Services training centre in Trivandrum.

India turns east for more tech success



For several years, India's US$76 billion (Dh279.11bn) information technology sector rode the outsourcing wave of the 1990s to become a pivotal high-margin business that galvanises the country's fast-growing economy.

US and European businesses were lured to India by the promise of access to a well-educated talent pool of English-speaking engineers demanding only a fraction of the salaries offered in Western shores.

But amid increasing competition, a chronic shortage of trained labour - which has led to high attrition and wage inflation - Indian outsourcing companies are facing stiff competition from other low-cost markets such as Mexico, Philippines and Ireland, compelling many to consider rejigging their business model and exploring new geographies to sustain double-digit growth.

"To build on its phenomenal success, the IT industry will have to reinvent itself," says Kiran Karnik, the former president of India's National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom). "A focus on innovation - in products, processes and business models - as a differentiator will have to be the cornerstone of a new strategy."

Tata Consultancy Services, India's largest software exporter owned by the $70bn Tata Group, is one of the few companies in the country expanding its application software business using the software as a service (SaaS) delivery model. Through this model, software is owned, delivered and managed remotely using cloud technology without any hassles for the customer to install and maintain it.

The global tech research firm Gartner says revenue from SaaS in the application software market is expected to touch $10.7bn this year, a growth of 16.2 per cent compared with last year.

Sridhar Mitta, the former chief technology officer at India's third largest IT company Wipro, co-founded NextWealth Entrepreneurs, a social entrepreneurship organisation, in 2009. The company's "distributed delivery model" - a business mantra that envisages a large number of small delivery centres in small towns and in rural India, results in a lower cost of operations and provides access to a diversified talent pool willing to work at lower wages.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) says the sector is struggling with a high rate of attrition, which peaked at 65 per cent over the past two years, as employees frequently switch jobs for even more lucrative pay packages.

In a bid to retain talent, salaries in the field are expected to grow by 30 to 40 per cent this year, India's National Association of Software and Services Companies says, eroding the sector's overall cost advantage.

Overseas clients of IT companies have boosted technology spending this year. The technology and market research company Forrester said in April the US technology market - which makes up the largest client base for Indian tech companies, contributing more than half of their earnings - is expected to expand 8 per cent this year, exceeding their earlier forecast of 7.4 per cent.

"The market is very dynamic right now … but this is not a party-time for sure," said Vineet Nayar, the vice chairman and chief executive of HCL Technologies, India's fourth-largest technology company. Mr Nayar made the comment in April, soon after reporting a 33 per cent rise in the January-March quarterly profit to 4.68bn rupees (Dh386 million).

"The US economy is in a post-recession phase, some European countries are still struggling with a slowdown," he said. "The overall IT spending is expected to be flattish this year."

Mr Karnik says companies need to adopt a "look east" policy, to explore geographies beyond its traditional markets - US, UK and western Europe, which together account for 80 per cent of India's IT exports.

Mr Karnik points out a recent study Nasscom conducted with McKinsey, which revealed that the exports are expected to more than quadruple from $50bn to more than $225bn by 2020. But more than 80 per cent of this incremental growth will be derived from customers in new markets - mainly China, Brazil, and Russia.

COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Bidzi

● Started: 2024

● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid

● Based: Dubai, UAE

● Industry: M&A

● Funding size: Bootstrapped

● No of employees: Nine

Result:

1. Cecilie Hatteland (NOR) atop Alex - 31.46 seconds

2. Anna Gorbacheva (RUS) atop Curt 13 - 31.82 seconds

3. Georgia Tame (GBR) atop Cash Up - 32.81 seconds

4. Sheikha Latifa bint Ahmed Al Maktoum (UAE) atop Peanuts de Beaufour - 35.85 seconds

5. Miriam Schneider (GER) atop Benur du Romet - 37.53 seconds

6. Annika Sande (NOR) atop For Cash 2 - 31.42 seconds (4 penalties)

Six things you need to know about UAE Women’s Special Olympics football team

Several girls started playing football at age four

They describe sport as their passion

The girls don’t dwell on their condition

They just say they may need to work a little harder than others

When not in training, they play football with their brothers and sisters

The girls want to inspire others to join the UAE Special Olympics teams

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants

Company%20Profile
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Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)

  • Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave. 
  • Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
  • Help out around the house.
  • Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
  • Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
  • Offer to strip the bed before you go.
The%20specs
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:

Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona

Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate

Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid

A Dog's Journey 

Directed by: Gail Mancuso

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott

3 out of 5 stars

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE SPECS

Engine: 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 626bhp

Torque: 900Nm

Price: Dh1,050,000

On sale: now

Results:

2.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.

Winner: AZ Dhabyan, Adam McLean (jockey), Saleha Al Ghurair (trainer).

2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.

Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.

3.15pm: Conditions (PA) Dh60,000 2,000m.

Winner: Hareer Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

3.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,700m.

Winner: Kenz Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

4.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh 200,000 1,700m.

Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.

4.45pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m.

Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed 

The bio

Academics: Phd in strategic management in University of Wales

Number one caps: His best-seller caps are in shades of grey, blue, black and yellow

Reading: Is immersed in books on colours to understand more about the usage of different shades

Sport: Started playing polo two years ago. Helps him relax, plus he enjoys the speed and focus

Cars: Loves exotic cars and currently drives a Bentley Bentayga

Holiday: Favourite travel destinations are London and St Tropez

Can NRIs vote in the election?

Indians residing overseas cannot cast their ballot abroad

Non-resident Indians or NRIs can vote only by going to a polling booth in their home constituency

There are about 3.1 million NRIs living overseas

Indians have urged political parties to extend the right to vote to citizens residing overseas

A committee of the Election Commission of India approved of proxy voting for non-resident Indians

Proxy voting means that a person can authorise someone residing in the same polling booth area to cast a vote on his behalf.

This option is currently available for the armed forces, police and government officials posted outside India

A bill was passed in the lower house of India’s parliament or the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting to non-resident Indians

However, this did not come before the upper house or Rajya Sabha and has lapsed

The issue of NRI voting draws a huge amount of interest in India and overseas

Over the past few months, Indians have received messages on mobile phones and on social media claiming that NRIs can cast their votes online

The Election Commission of India then clarified that NRIs could not vote online

The Election Commission lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police asking it to clamp down on the people spreading misinformation

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
IPL 2018 FINAL

Sunrisers Hyderabad 178-6 (20 ovs)
Chennai Super Kings 181-2 (18.3 ovs)

Chennai win by eight wickets

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EA Sports FC 25
Essentials

The flights

Etihad (etihad.ae) and flydubai (flydubai.com) fly direct to Baku three times a week from Dh1,250 return, including taxes. 
 

The stay

A seven-night “Fundamental Detox” programme at the Chenot Palace (chenotpalace.com/en) costs from €3,000 (Dh13,197) per person, including taxes, accommodation, 3 medical consultations, 2 nutritional consultations, a detox diet, a body composition analysis, a bio-energetic check-up, four Chenot bio-energetic treatments, six Chenot energetic massages, six hydro-aromatherapy treatments, six phyto-mud treatments, six hydro-jet treatments and access to the gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Additional tests and treatments cost extra.