IBM Expands in India with Office in Ludhiana, Punjab

As markets in bigger cities are getting increasingly cutthroat and saturated, IBM is trying to make inroads in smaller cities.

The tech major announced today, March 23, the opening of a new branch office in Ludhiana, Punjab as part of its continued geographic expansion across India.

The Ludhiana branch is IBM’s seventh new office to be opened in India in the past 12 months after those in Coimbatore, Indore, Guwahati, Dehradun, Raipur and Visakhapatnam.

IBM says it is currently focused on increasing its presence in smaller, rapidly developing cities as India’s regions play an increasingly important part in the country’s economic growth.

[ Also Read: Now IBM Entering Smaller Cities of India ]

Likewise, IBM is targeting other emerging markets of the world. Recently, the company announced the expansion of its branch office in Port Louis on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean off the South East coast of Africa. (Read: IBM Expands in Africa with Office in Mauritius)

Ludhiana is the largest city in Punjab and is located in close proximity to the state capital Chandigarh where IBM already has an established presence.

In recent years, Ludhiana has experienced strong economic growth led by development of the clothing, automotive parts and food manufacturing sectors. Small scale industries make up an important part of Ludhiana’s business landscape with over 6,000 small and medium sized enterprises operating in the city.

[ Also Read: How Tech Biggies Plan to Help Small Businesses ]

“We are seeing strong demand for our solutions and services in Ludhiana as businesses in the city turn to IT to increase efficiencies and improve customer service,” said Vivek Malhotra, VP, IBM North & East India.

“Crucial to Ludhiana’s economic development are small and medium sized enterprises which spur innovation in the region and are at the center of a thriving export market in the city.”

Meanwhile, our site RMN Digital has launched Tech-Wise Knowledge Center for SMBs to educate small and medium businesses (SMBs) across the world on the finer nuances of technology selection, adoption, and management.

IBM also has a program in place to invest in skills in the city. For example, it has established an IBM Software Center of Excellence at Punjab Agricultural University providing training on IBM software as part of IBM’s Academic Initiative.

According to the company, over 270 students have already completed IBM training in Ludhiana to date. Also, over 200 students from across 15 colleges in Ludhiana region have registered for IBM’s Great Mind Challenge – a technical contest.

In the picture above: Mr. Jugdiep Singh, Managing Director, SPS Apollo Hospitals Ludhiana (right) inaugurates the IBM Ludhiana branch along with Mr. Vivek Malhotra, Vice President and Territory Executive, IBM North & East India.