Cognizant, Wipro lobbying US to ease visa rules

Lobbying has been a taboo for software companies in India a great success that tasteless activity was supposed to be the exclusive domain of those who seek to prosper from the licensing raj. And anyway, their markets were mostly abroad.

But now, at the home of free market capitalism, as their encounters with the disguised protectionism to grow more often, the word 'L' does not seem so dirty more. So while the U.S. keeps inventing reasons to make it more difficult for them to do business, many software companies in India are spending large sums to hire professional help to win friends and influence its main market.

At stake is more than $ 30 billion (1.3 lakh crore rupees) in business each year, about half of total revenues in India outsourcing. Among the companies mounting an aggressive public relations effort is Wipro, the third largest software exporter from India. Last year, it hired Melanie Carter-Maguire, a professional relationship with the government to launch a lobbying campaign in Washington DC.

Between January and March this year, Wipro spent nearly $ 60,000 (R 27 lakh) to lobby legislators and other officials on restrictive visa rules and policies that favor local businesses. Aware, which is based in the U.S., but employs over 80% of its staff in India, spent $ 350,000 during the first quarter of this year. Two years ago, hired Robert Hoffman, a regular Congress to direct their lobbying efforts.

"The collaboration with the authorities and local communities through lobbying and public relations professionals was long considered taboo. Now some managers, especially those based here are questioning the stance that asks us to step, "said the CEO of a technology company.

Direct and indirect attacks
While America struggles with anemic growth and high unemployment, the campaign for next year's presidential election is underway. With many people still associate the unemployment outsourcing companies, the rhetoric is combined with direct and indirect attacks on the commercial interests of the Indian software companies.
Read more here