Software development is something almost every business on earth needs to think about in today’s tech-driven world.

And while it can seem like a daunting prospect to keep up with the incredible speed of technological advancements, it’s clear that specialized software is the solution to many business challenges. With the right software, organizations can streamline workflows, automate key processes, improve business outcomes, and cut costs.

But getting high-quality, tailored software is not always an easy task. Firstly, it can undeniably be expensive. High-level, experienced developers are in extremely short supply in many western countries like the US, so even entry-level developers and engineers are commanding very high salaries. Additionally, the short supply can potentially result in long lead times and rushed projects that don’t offer the desired results.

To some extent, these challenges are part of the cost of doing business, but it doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways around them. So what can you do to overcome these challenges when commissioning software for your business?

One solution is to explore offshore development in India.

The rapidly growing industry of Indian software development is transforming the way many companies approach their technology upgrades, cutting costs, speeding up delivery, and improving overall outcomes in many cases.

In this post, we look at what offshore development in India is, how outsourcing to India can benefit you, and other things to consider when looking into working with Indian development teams.

Offshore development is a term used to describe outsourcing software development projects to a team in a country other than your country of operation. A good example of this would be a company based in New Jersey, USA outsourcing the development of a mobile app to a team of Indian developers in Bangalore.

Outsourcing to India is not a new concept, and many companies have benefited from it in recent decades due to the reduced costs. However, ‘outsourcing to India’ refers to any type of work being moved to India. One of the most common examples of this used to be outsourcing customer support to Indian call centers, and this is something still done successfully by many companies in the US, Europe, and elsewhere.

However, the term ‘offshore development’ refers specifically to software development projects, such as offshore web development in India, or offshore IT consulting in India. It can be seen as a branch of outsourcing to India, but it is now an established industry in its own right.

India is a huge country, with an incredible variety of experienced workers spanning any field imaginable. A growing trend in Indian outsourcing relates to software development, as Indian software professionals are among the most well-educated and experienced in the world.

This doesn’t mean outsourcing options are certainly not limited to software and tech. However, when using the term ‘offshore development’, people are referring specifically to the outsourcing of software development.

When it comes to offshore development, almost any software development work can be successfully outsourced to India, including:

• Cloud services
• Automation solutions
• Web apps
• Mobile apps
• AI software
• Product development
• Enterprise solutions

This makes Indian offshore development a feasible option for any business looking to implement new business software in a reliable, cost-effective way.

India has an enormous population, and multiple genuinely world-class educational institutions. The country also has a particularly young population, so a relatively high percentage of people are trained in modern industries like tech and software.

This makes India the ideal place to find highly educated developers with up-to-date skills and experience with the latest technologies, programming languages, and development practices.

Unlike many Western countries, such as the US, where demand for skilled developers massively outstrips supply, India actually has a far more competitive market from the perspective of software professionals.

The large quantity of skilled software experts in the country drives a culture of hard work, upskilling, and innovation that pushes up the quality of tech talent, benefiting businesses that hire there.

To some, India may seem like a strange place to outsource given that it could present language and communication barriers with existing teams. However, many people in India have impeccable English skills, with an estimated 120 million+ English speakers in the country.

Among young tech workers, English rates are particularly high, with this demographic significantly more likely to have learned English as a first or second language.

Arguably the single biggest advantage of developing software in India is the fact that the process is significantly more cost-effective than comparable projects in Western countries. For most companies, this lower price is the main attraction, but it does not need to come at the cost of quality. In fact, the right development team can reliably deliver the same or even better quality results than a more expensive Western alternative.

While tech infrastructure, including high-speed internet, reliability of the electrical grid, and so on are not necessarily seen as selling points of India, this is simply not the case in the country’s tech hubs. In fact, in major cities and areas used for offshore software development, Indian tech infrastructure is among the best in the world.

This means that, with the right outsourcing partner, companies can rely on seamless communication between sites, on-time delivery of projects, and reliable working conditions that facilitate optimal productivity.

The standard of work from outsourced software development obviously varies from team to team. However, India has some of the most talented, experienced, and motivated software professionals in the world, meaning you can expect exceptional standards from a well-chosen offshore development center in India.

It’s not always publicized, but many of the world’s largest and more successful organizations outsource to India with excellent results. These include:

• Google
• Amazon
• Ford
• IBM
• Microsoft
• Dell

These blockbuster names, and many other organizations, from startups to multinationals, all trust and find success using offshore development in India. Put simply, this demonstrates that the model works. If these giants of industry can outsource software development, then so can you.

India is a huge market for outsourcing, so being able to find a partner that aligns with your expectations, budget, and working style is paramount. To simplify the process, there are a few questions you can think about when choosing a partner, such as:

• What services do they specialize in?
• What is their pricing structure?
• How big is the development team?
• What does their portfolio look like?
• Do they offer post-delivery support?
• What time frame can they commit to?
• Will they sign a non-disclosure agreement if necessary?
• Do they have any testimonials from previous clients?

At the end of the day, it’s always going to be hard to assess whether a team is right for you or can be trusted to deliver great work. For this reason, it can be hugely beneficial to go through an offshore development company to source the top offshore development services in India and the best offshore development team for your project.

This is one of the most commonly cited concerns for companies considering offshore development, and understandably so. If, for example, a business is located in California, they will be working with more than a 12-hour time difference, and many people expect this to cause issues.

In reality, Indian development teams are generally extremely flexible with working hours, as well as very experienced working with clients in other countries like the US. This negates any barriers caused by time differences and

Communicating effectively with a team that’s potentially thousands of miles away may seem like a huge challenge. However, while there are certainly some considerations before commissioning offshore development projects, communication is absolutely not the challenge it once was.

In fact, barriers to effective communication between cross-border teams are now essentially non-existent. This is made possible by various developments in technology for remote working and communication, such as:

• Video conferencing software (Zoom, Microsoft Teams
• Instant messaging (Slack)
• Workforce management software, and much more make it easy.

Even companies that previously shunned remote work have now embraced it—often initially out of necessity due to COVID-19—but are thriving and in many cases, experiencing productivity gains. This proves that working in a decentralized way and maintaining good communication is not just possible but, in many ways, a preferable way of working.