NTT DATA seeks to harness India's position as global delivery hub, says firm's Asia-Pacific head

Japanese technology firm NTT DATA aims to strengthen its presence in India, double its growth rate, and leverage the country's role as a global delivery hub to capitalise on its economic growth phase, a company executive has said.

In an interview with PTI, the company's CEO for APAC (Asia-Pacific region) John Lombard said the firm already holds a strong presence in India, having expanded its employee base to 40,000 in FY23, making it one of the company's largest operations globally.

"NTT DATA aims to double its growth rate in India, targeting a growth rate higher than the 11-12 per cent overall market growth...the company plans to continue expanding in India at a significantly faster pace than the national average, especially as the Indian economy enters a growth phase.

"Over the next five years, NTT DATA seeks to strengthen its position in India, grow its client base, and increase its revenue contributions..." he said.

NTT DATA is committed to expanding its operations in India by further investing in AI, cloud services, and digital solutions, he added.

In India, the Tokyo-based firm operates primarily in banking and financial services, which comprise 60-70 per cent of its client base, as well as in manufacturing and automotive sectors.

The company operates in four main areas: technology solutions, data centres, infrastructure management, and applications.

India also serves as the base for a major delivery centre that supports the global business, Lombard said.

"The company plans to leverage India's position as a global delivery hub, with the goal of increasing employee strength and enhancing capabilities in emerging technologies.

"It also continues to invest in expanding capacity at its data centre campuses and sub-sea cable systems. Moreover, NTT DATA's ongoing transition from traditional IT to digital services aligns with its goal of driving innovation and growth in India's expanding technology landscape," he said.

On the hiring front, the CEO said NTT DATA is focusing on recruiting specialised talent in AI, GenAI, and cloud services to bolster its growth in India.

"The company plans to recruit at least 200 senior specialists in the GenAI space, with additional hiring across various segments to support the ramp-up of its digital services," he said.

Moreover, as the company seeks to expand its infrastructure management and applications business, it will prioritise the recruitment of skilled professionals to meet the growing demand for advanced technologies in sectors such as banking, manufacturing, and automotive, he said.

"Across these initiatives, the organisation expects to increase its workforce by 10-15 per cent," Lombard said.