The Hindu Business Line : CA plans to expand Indian operations

COMPUTER Associates International Inc, the $3.5-billion Islandia-based integrated software solutions provider, has firmed up plans to expand its India operations. This means doubling headcount in its Hyderabad centre, setting up more representative offices in Tier II cities and enhancing research and development.

The Chief Technology Officer of Computer Associates, Mr Yogesh Gupta, who is in India now, told Business Line that the Indian operations constitutes about 10 per cent of CA worldwide, which has about 4,500 employees.

"This R&D centre has emerged as a strategic facility for CA where new technologies including security for Wireless Fidelity are being developed. This means we would now be almost doubling the headcount in the Hyderabad R&D centre from 400 now by next year and possibly locate our own development centre in India."

"The current leased facility in Vanenburg Park has the capacity to take 400 more techies and we would be able to expand to that level by next year. Thereafter, we will look at another centre in India. We also have a global technology support centre in Chennai, which has about 175 people providing technical support for our global operations for over 500 customers spread across multiple locations. Even this centre would be further ramped up," he said.

The Asia Pacific market is emerging as a new opportunity. The company is in parleys with several Indian firms, such as oil and gas companies, and the government sector, to provide management software solutions.

"Our Wireless Fidelity security product has been fully developed by the team at India R&D centre and is now undergoing beta test. Already, we have filed for patent and expect to reach out this solutions to the global marketplace by the end of this quarter. We see this emerging as a major business opportunity," he said.