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India’s IT sector rebounds as clients boost spending on AI and automation projects

India’s leading IT firms — Infosys, Wipro, and LTIMindtree — beat quarterly revenue forecasts on Thursday, signaling a turnaround in demand as global clients begin investing again, especially in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation projects.

The upbeat results follow a strong performance by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) last week, raising optimism for India’s $283 billion IT industry, which had been struggling with weak discretionary spending and tariff-related uncertainty.

“We are benefiting from consolidation plays on automation and on using AI for efficiency,” said Infosys CEO Salil Parekh, highlighting “huge opportunities in enterprise AI.” Infosys now expects full-year revenue growth of 2–3%, narrowing its earlier forecast of 1–3%, supported by strong deal bookings.

Wipro CEO Srini Pallia noted a similar trend: “New demand that’s picking up is AI. Clients want to move away from proofs of concept to implementing AI across business processes and workflows.”

Analysts say the results mark a stabilization in the IT sector, with demand returning from industries such as banking and financial services. StoxBox analyst Sagar Shetty said the numbers show “a sector gradually regaining traction amid shifting client priorities toward AI and digital acceleration.”

Smaller rival LTIMindtree also exceeded revenue estimates, driven by strength in its banking portfolio, while analysts at Anand Rathi said “most Indian IT firms are showing green shoots,” indicating that the worst of the slowdown may have passed.

India’s Wipro tops quarterly revenue estimates on strong Asia and Americas growth

Indian IT major Wipro Ltd. posted stronger-than-expected results for the July–September quarter, supported by solid performance in its Asia-Pacific and Americas communications divisions and a healthy pipeline of large contracts.

The Bengaluru-based company reported a 1.8% year-on-year rise in consolidated revenue to 226.97 billion rupees ($2.58 billion), slightly above analysts’ estimates of 226.90 billion rupees, according to LSEG data. Wipro said it expects revenue growth between -0.5% and 1.5% for the current quarter, in line with market expectations, implying revenue of $2.59–$2.64 billion.

Net profit for the quarter rose 1.2% to 32.46 billion rupees, just below the forecast of 33.01 billion rupees. Among its major markets, Asia Pacific led growth at 3.1%, followed by Americas One at 0.5%, while other segments saw moderate momentum.

Wipro benefited from securing two mega deals worth over $500 million each — one with the UK’s Phoenix Group and another with a U.S.-based telecom provider — making it the only top-five Indian IT company to achieve two such contracts this fiscal year.

The company’s total deal bookings reached $4.69 billion, down from $5 billion in the previous quarter but up significantly from $3.6 billion a year earlier.

Peers Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and HCLTech also exceeded revenue forecasts earlier this month, citing stronger demand in the second half of the fiscal year, signaling a broad recovery for India’s IT services sector.

India’s IT Sector Faces Uncertainty as U.S. Considers Outsourcing Tax

India’s $283 billion IT industry is bracing for turbulence after U.S. lawmakers introduced a proposal to impose a 25% tax on outsourcing, a move that could reshape decades of cross-border technology contracts. Analysts and lawyers warn the bill could delay deals, trigger renegotiations, and heighten regulatory risks for a sector that makes up over 7% of India’s GDP.

The Proposal

Republican Senator Bernie Moreno introduced the HIRE Act, which would:

  • Impose a 25% tax on U.S. companies that outsource IT services abroad.

  • Bar companies from claiming outsourcing payments as tax-deductible expenses.

  • Funnel revenue into U.S. workforce development.

In some scenarios, combined federal, state, and local taxes could raise outsourcing costs to as much as 60%, according to EY India’s Jignesh Thakkar.

Why It Matters

India’s IT giants — including TCS, Infosys, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, and LTIMindtree — count Apple, Citigroup, FedEx, Cisco, and Home Depot among their major U.S. clients. Outsourcing has long been criticized in the U.S. for shifting jobs overseas, but it remains vital to companies facing domestic labor shortages.

The bill comes at a difficult time for Indian IT firms already struggling with weak revenue growth as inflation, tariffs, and deferred tech spending weigh on their U.S. business.

Industry Reaction

Analysts expect a wave of lobbying and legal challenges if the bill advances. “A bill like this would probably face a lot of backlash from U.S. companies that rely heavily on outsourcing,” said Sophie Alcorn, CEO of Alcorn Immigration Law.

Others anticipate dilution: “More likely is a narrowed or delayed version of the bill,” said Phil Fersht of HFS Research.

Still, the uncertainty is already affecting contracts. “When political noise turns into regulatory risk, clients quickly insert contingencies, reopen pricing and demand delivery flexibility,” said Saurabh Gupta of HFS Research, warning that signing and renewal cycles will slow.

Global Capability Centers at Risk

The proposed tax could also impact U.S. firms’ global capability centers (GCCs) in India, which have evolved from low-cost back offices into innovation hubs for R&D, finance, and operations. “It will be hard to pull back from existing work, but new set-ups and expansion may get impacted,” said Yugal Joshi of Everest Group.

Outlook

Experts note the U.S. still lacks sufficient skilled tech labor, meaning outsourcing remains a structural necessity. As Bharath Reddy of CAM put it: “The lack of availability of appropriate human capital in the U.S. will continue as a problem — one that can be addressed in the near future only through outsourcing.”