Challenges Faced by Indian IT companies in North America 2023
North America, predominantly the United States, has been the primary market for the majority of Indian IT companies for several decades.
From large IT service providers like Infosys, TCS, and Wipro to smaller firms, North America has remained the golden goose, accounting for a significant chunk of their overseas revenue.Yet, in recent years, the region has emerged as a challenging landscape for these companies.
One of the most significant challenges faced by Indian IT firms in the U.S. has been the tightening of the H-1B visa regulations.
Analysts predict that Accenture’s modest growth projection of 2-5% in FY24 will negatively affect Indian IT companies like Wipro, Tech Mahindra, and LTI Mindtree.
While TechM and LTIM will be under pressure as a result of declining demand in the communications, media, and technology (CMT) sector, Wipro will be negatively affected as a result of the consulting industry’s downturn.
Furthermore, because the North American area accounts for around 55% of Accenture’s sales, its recent poorest quarterly performance in North America will put pressure on other local IT businesses.
While businesses are eager to invest in core modernization and cloud migration, analysts at Kotak Institutional Equities said that Accenture’s earnings and forecast underscore persistent difficulty in discretionary expenditure.
Nomura claims that the FY24 estimate is below pre-pandemic levels of 5-8% for FY17-20.
Accenture said that although long-term trends in technology investment are unaffected, client conservatism as a result of macroeconomic uncertainty is having an immediate negative impact on tech spending. Customers still give priority to cost-cutting programmes, and the demand for discretionary goods is still low.
Accenture uses the September through August fiscal year. In the final quarter of FY23, Europe and growth markets grew by 7% and 6% y-o-y, respectively, compared to North America’s 1% growth.
According to analysts, Indian IT companies have recently been actively pursuing clients in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Australia as a result of difficulties in the North American market.
African banks have lately signed back-to-back deals with Indian IT firms like TCS and Infosys, which is consistent with Accenture’s rapid expansion in Europe and “growth markets” there.
While Wipro announced the opening of a new office in Sable Park, Century City, in Cape Town in June, underscoring its commitment to customers in the area, HCLTech secured a deal with ANZ bank in addition to growing its connection with Cricket Australia.
This visa is predominantly used by these firms to send their skilled workers to client sites in the U.S. With caps on the number of visas issued and increasing scrutiny, it has become harder for Indian companies to staff their onsite projects, leading to delays and increased operational costs.
With America’s changing political landscape, there has been a growing sentiment of “America First.” This has translated into policies and regulations that prioritize hiring local talent over foreign workers, putting additional pressure on Indian IT firms. Many companies have thus been compelled to hire locally, often at higher wages, which impacts their cost structures.
The IT landscape in North America has evolved dramatically, with many local players emerging and offering similar services as their Indian counterparts. Companies like Accenture, IBM, and Deloitte have expanded their IT services portfolios, leading to fierce competition and pricing pressures.
With the rise of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other cutting-edge technologies, the demand has shifted from traditional IT services to more specialized solutions. Indian IT firms that thrived on legacy services find it challenging to compete in this new environment unless they rapidly upskill their workforce and develop expertise in newer domains.
With increasing concerns about data privacy and security, several countries, including the U.S., are contemplating or have already implemented data localization laws. Such policies could compel companies to store data within the country’s boundaries, affecting the offshore IT service model that Indian firms traditionally rely on.
While this might not be a new challenge, the expectations of North American clients have evolved. There’s a growing demand for IT service providers to understand the local business culture, nuances, and communication styles. Sometimes, Indian IT firms might struggle with these expectations, leading to potential miscommunication and dissatisfaction.
Economic downturns, such as the 2008 financial crisis and even the pandemic-triggered recession, often lead to budget cuts in IT spending. With North America being a major market for Indian IT firms, economic instability in the region has a cascading effect on these companies’ revenues.
Despite the challenges, Indian IT firms are not passive players. Many have already started investing in local hiring, setting up development centers in the U.S., and partnering with educational institutions for talent development.
Furthermore, there’s a concerted effort to move up the value chain by offering specialized services and solutions rather than just being service providers.
North America, with its vast market potential, will continue to remain a crucial region for Indian IT firms.
However, the changing dynamics demand that these firms remain agile, innovative, and adaptive to maintain a competitive edge in this challenging landscape.
