Ahmedabad: IBM eyes GIFT City for software development centre

AHMEDABAD: Global information technology major IBM is scouting for space in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) in Gandhinagar for establishing its software lab. The multinational giant is most likely to take up 1.5 lakh square feet (sq.ft.) space in a phased manner, said market sources.
IBM Software Labs, as part of its expansion in Gujarat, is planning to set up a state-of-the-art product engineering, design and software development center.Although the company had announced that it was working to establish the proposed centre in Ahmedabad, it is also exploring possibilities in GIFT City, said sources.
“IBM is looking for a space in GIFT City and the company is learnt to have obtained price quotes from the existing developers in GIFT City,” sources added.
According to the market sources, the company is looking at acquiring 1.5 lakh sq feet space in GIFT City in a phased manner with 50,000 sq feet likely to be taken up for development in the first phase over the next six months. “However, things are at a preliminary stage,” sources added.
When contacted IBM India stated that the company is extending opportunities to talented people across key cities (beyond the metros) in India for the benefit of its customers.
“We are excited that the IBM Software Labs expansion in Gujarat will accelerate the building of skills and digital innovation — providing a strong foundation for the IT/ITeS sector in the state,” added IBM India without providing any specific details about its plans in GIFT City. In August, IBM India’s managing director Sandip Patel and IBM India Software Labs’ vice-president Gaurav Sharma had met the former chief minister Vijay Rupani and senior state government officials to discuss the expansion of IBM Software Labs’ operations in Gujarat, which also included the establishment of product engineering, design and software development center in Ahmedabad.