Indian outsourcer opens centre in Melbourne

The opening of the centre -- which will perform software development work for local and international clients -- comes as the company reportedly grows its multi-million dollar business with Melbourne-headquartered telecommunications heavyweight Telstra. One news report this week suggested Satyam had recently ramped up the number of contracts it had secured at the heavily cost-conscious carrier, with data warehousing and financial system management among its deals.

Victoria's Minister for Information and Communications Technology, Marsha Thomson, said in a statement plans were already underway to undertake work for clients in the Asia Pacific -- including Japan -- at the centre.

The opening of the centre by India's fourth largest software exporter comes amid increasing sensitivity in the Australian market over the issue of offshoring, which is likely to rear its head in the leadup to the federal election on 9 October.

Other development centres are located in countries such as the US, Japan and Singapore. The Melbourne centre is the second to be opened in Australia, with the first opened in Sydney in November 2001.

The centre is, according to a statement, equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and video-conference facilities.