The Kerala cabinet approves the withdrawal from an agreement with Dubai investment firm Tecom, allowing the state government to reclaim 246 acres of land originally leased for the project. File photo
Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram in focus as global firms eye Kerala
The firm already has centres in Mumbai and Hyderabad. It chose the capital due to the strategic advantage it offers for scaling up in the post-pandemic work culture
Major IT companies are looking for space in technology parks in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, according to reports, as global firms take a post-pandemic view of their future.
IBM has started recruitment for its development centre in Kochi – the first such facility in the state. The company also has plans to start a centre in Thiruvananthapuram.
US-based AgiliteGroup, a global IT consulting company focusing on Big Data, AI and analytics, is also opening a development centre in Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram, and planning to hire 500 people soon.
The firm already has centres in Mumbai and Hyderabad. It chose the capital due to the strategic advantage it offers for scaling up in the post-pandemic work culture.
Existing firms, including Nissan Digital and Ernst & Young, are also in expansion mode and are recruiting.
“The proposed research hub and development centre of TCS at Technocity [in Thiruvananthapuram] is also a feather in the cap of the state’s IT sector,” The New Indian Express reported.
“The positive trend has brought a new lease of life for many graduates and engineers in the state as it will generate employment in their home state.”
The newspaper quoted a report by global consultant firm ANSR as saying that “major global firms are looking to hire for their captive units in India are ramping up headcounts in Tier II and Tier III towns, including Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi”.
According to ANSR, which helps companies set up offshore units, Tier II locations are attracting companies due to their robust supply chain network, engineering and research facilities. John M Thomas, CEO of IT parks, Kerala, told The New Indian Express that many big firms are looking at Kerala as a future IT investment destination.
“During the pandemic, many techies preferred to work from their home state. Moreover, the talent pool, quality of life and research facilities made the IT biggies select Kerala as their future investment hub. Though the companies still follow the ‘work from home’ model, it will not affect the investment by IT majors. We too are identifying the companies and taking up formal proposals with them,” he said.
