The Hindu Business Line : Software exports from Kerala expected to double to Rs 600 crore

SOFTWARE exports from Kerala are expected to double this fiscal year to Rs 600 crore, fuelled by the entry of technology heavyweights such as Infosys and Wipro into the State.

Bulk of the exports will come from Technopark, Kerala's premier IT infrastructure facility in Thiruvananthapuram.

Currently, Technopark is fully occupied with 86 companies and has an employee base of over 10,000.

"A major reason for the increase expected in our software exports is the arrival of companies such as Infosys," a Technopark official said.

Infosys and other top companies earn a better billing rate compared with smaller Kerala-based companies, helping the State boost its exports income.

Infosys, which is planning a major facility near Technopark, has around 1,000 people in Thiruvananthapuram. Over the next three years, it is expected to build a one-million square feet facility in Technopark, which can employee 7,500 to 10,000 employees.

Multinationals such as Allianz Cornhill, RM Education Solutions and Alamy images are also operating from Technopark. Tata Consultancy Services is also ramping up its global training centre here.

Eight six-acre plots have been acquired for Technopark's second phase of expansion, in which the Infosys facility and US Technologies' new development centre will come up. In the third phase, 100 acres will be added to Technopark for which the land acquisition process is on.

The Technopark official said more companies are showing keen interest to set up development units in Technopark but they would have to wait till the new facilities come up.

Meanwhile, Leela Group, which is into the hospitality business through a chain of luxury hotels, is getting into IT infrastructure. It is planning to invest around Rs 260 crore in such facilities in Technopark and Kochi's InfoPark.

A Kerala IT Mission newsletter quoted the Executive Director of the Leela Group, Mr Venu Krishnan, as saying that the group would build a combined space of 12,37,000 square feet.

It has already set up a 1.37-lakh square feet building at InfoPark, which has been occupied by Outsource Partners International, a business process outsourcing firm.

Two more blocks will come up at InfoPark within 15 months, while a four-lakh square feet facility is planned at Technopark.

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