India-Based Infosys Reaping Benefits from Texas Presence

Tech attorney Inderpreet Sawhney says the decision by Infosys Ltd. to place its U.S. hub in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Richardson is no accident.

Sawhney, group general counsel and chief compliance officer at India-based Infosys, notes that Texas draws global companies such as Infosys thanks to its robust talent pool and central location in the country.

Infosys is a global next-generation digital services and consulting giant with more than 300,000 employees around the world. Working from the Richardson office of Infosys, Sawhney says the company runs on “the backbone of talent,” whether it’s people in Texas or people in India and other countries.

“It’s all about meeting the needs of our clients with the best talent we can hire by offering opportunities for those interested in tech careers to be locally based and globally connected,” Sawhney says.

Part of that locally based, globally connected philosophy plays out in Richardson.

Infosys opened its hub in Richardson’s Telecom Corridor in 2018 to serve clients in the telecom, banking and retail sectors. Infosys also has offices in Austin and Houston, further demonstrating its commitment to Texas. All three locations rely on Texas-nurtured talent, including some employees who have moved to Texas from other states and countries such as India to work for Infosys because of the state’s pleasant climate and strong tech foundation.

“Infosys employees have the opportunity to work with global talent at Infosys to enrich their careers with innovative skills and perspectives,” Sawhney says.

For Infosys, Texas represents growth potential as well. As part of its investment in Texas, Infosys has hired 350 workers to date as part of its target of creating 500 new tech jobs in the state by 2024.

“It’s a war for talent out there and Texas has a lot to offer, especially in the tech space, with all of the universities that we have,” Sawhney says. “This war for talent also means that as a leading tech firm, we need to provide an environment in our company that ensures innovation and personal development as well as access to the resources available in our global headquarters in India.”

Infosys’ Texas commitment also reflects the state’s longtime trading partnership with India. In 2021, exports to India exceeded $13.2 billion, while imports from India surpassed $4.9 billion. 

Underscoring the importance of Texas’ relationship with India, Governor Greg Abbott traveled there in 2018, becoming the first U.S. governor to ever meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Across Texas, communities of Indian immigrants and Americans of Indian descent have long called our state home. They have played an important role in making Texas the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” Abbott wrote in an August proclamation marking the 75th anniversary of India Independence Day.

Sawhney is among the Indian immigrants cited by the governor. She launched her career in India, then relocated to California. Later, she returned to India before settling in Dallas-Fort Worth with Infosys. Although Sawhney is based in North Texas, she travels around the world in conjunction with her work at Infosys; she also delivers speeches at various global conferences.

Sawhney’s globetrotting lets her spread the word about Texas far and wide. Aside from its central location in the U.S., pool of talent and favorable tax structure, Texas boasts a robust network of current and potential customers, vendors and partners that Infosys can tap into, she says.

“I think all of that has allowed us to look at Texas in a way where we see a lot of growth, a lot of opportunity,” Sawhney says.

Organizations like the Texas Economic Development Corporation allow Infosys to share best practices, cultivate customer relationships and foster ties with partners “in a very meaningful way,” she says. Furthermore, TxEDC gives Infosys insight about state policy making activities.

All in all, Texas — where Sawhney’s company maintains its largest presence outside India — “has been really great for Infosys,” she says.