Cross-Border Collaborations: How Indian Tech Companies Are Expanding Their Global Footprint India is no longer just a back office for global tech. Its deep tech capabilities, skilled workforce, and strategic partnerships are positioning it as a major player in the global technology arena.

India is no longer just a back office for global tech. Its deep tech capabilities, skilled workforce, and strategic partnerships are positioning it as a major player in the global technology arena. The future of cross-border collaborations will be defined not just by cost efficiency, but by India's ability to lead in innovation and value creation.

Rajesh Goenka, CEO of Rashi Peripherals Limited opened the discussion by emphasizing how Rashi Peripherals' extensive reach across India is helping to bridge the digital divide, particularly in tier II, tier III, and even tier IV cities. "We have an unprecedented reach of 52 towns and cities in India, including Srinagar, making us one of the first IT companies to have a physical presence there," Goenka said. He highlighted the growing demand for technology solutions in smaller cities, stating that their consumption patterns are now comparable to metro cities. However, the challenges are significant.

"Infrastructure is a challenge," Goenka admitted. "People's approach to technology is limited to mobile phones and online shopping through platforms like Amazon and Flipkart. Also, there's a shortage of skilled manpower because most educated talent migrates to larger cities like Bangalore and Mumbai." Despite these setbacks, Goenka is optimistic. Rashi Peripherals works with universities and IT firms to train and develop local talent, building both capacity and capability at the grassroots level.

Mohamed Imran, Co-founder & CTO, E2E Networks Ltd underscored the complexity of building a sustainable deep tech ecosystem in India. "We built a delivery center for E2E Networks in Vellore 12 years back. We literally had to pick people from scratch and train them in Linux — now AI," he said. Imran believes that distribution models need to evolve. He referenced Jio's leapfrogging of generations of telecom technology as an example. "We need to think about AI licensing models differently. Current price points are dictated by US standards, which are often unaffordable for Indian companies. If we get the licensing and orchestration right, it will open doors for Indian companies to reverse the trend and establish Global Capability Centers (GCCs) abroad."

India's deep tech potential is already being recognized globally. Imran cited the Indian government's AI mission, which provides viability gap funding for AI projects. "Deep tech startups and large enterprises will join forces to launch GCCs abroad," he predicted. "India has the software ecosystem; we just need the right licensing and distribution models."

Gautam Badalia, CEO, Route Mobile provided insight into the transformation of India's role in the global tech landscape. "Five years ago, Indian companies were looking to list on NASDAQ for better valuations. Now, the access to capital and talent in India has made it competitive with Silicon Valley," he said. Badalia highlighted that the traditional appeal of India for multinationals — cost arbitrage — is giving way to value creation. "Today's GCCs are not just about saving costs; they're about building digital enablers and driving strategic growth."

The shift is being driven by India's rich talent pool. "The number of STEM graduates coming out of Indian colleges every year means there's no shortage of talent," Badalia said. He noted that Indian companies are now reversing the model by setting up operations abroad. "It's no longer just about offshore delivery centers. Indian companies are becoming global players, offering end-to-end solutions in AI, software, and deep tech."

Future trends & global partnerships driving local innovation

Global collaborations are also giving Indian companies a competitive edge. Goenka highlighted Rashi Peripherals' partnership with NVIDIA, which helped set up one of India's largest AI data centers. "By working with global companies, we get the first-mover advantage in bringing new technology to India," he said. He also pointed to E2E's contribution to the AI India mission through the commitment of thousands of GPUs for academia and research.

Imran echoed this sentiment, adding that global collaborations are key to building sustainable business models. "We're already providing AI labs as a service to Indian colleges, allowing students to access complex AI workflows. This will create a steady pipeline of AI-capable talent," he said. The key to retaining talent, Imran argued, lies in creating a sense of purpose. "If employees understand how their work connects to the company's larger vision, they're more likely to stay."

The panelists agreed that AI and cloud-based solutions will dominate future cross-border collaborations. Imran pointed to the growing demand for AI-powered solutions in industries ranging from customer service to agriculture. "We could have a Punjabi farmer listening to real-time translation of market trends — that's where this is heading," he said.

Badalia highlighted the rise of real-time communication solutions. "The future isn't waiting in line to speak to a customer service agent. You'll be talking to a bot clone with the same voice modulation as a human agent," he said. Route Mobile, which operates 19 virtualized data centers globally, has already seen a 100x increase in transaction throughput since moving to the cloud.

However, cross-border operations also come with regulatory challenges. "Data protection laws like GDPR and India's DPDP Act will require companies to strike a balance between globalization and local compliance," Badalia noted.

Goenka closed with a pragmatic view on globalization stating, "The world is one, except for the geopolitical issues. No single country can do everything. We need to strengthen our core capabilities and work together. Companies like Route Mobile, E2E, and Rashi Peripherals are already building the DNA of a more globally connected India."

The panellists were speaking at the Entrepreneur India Tech & Innovation Summit, moderated by Shrabona Ghosh, Senior Correspondent at Entrepreneur India.