Hardware foray to bear fruit for Mindtree

Indian IT software and services major Mindtree Consulting is planning to launch its first hardware product, a mobile phone, targeted at the low-income segment in the Middle East.

"This is a significant area for Mindtree," Vice-Chairman Subroto Bagchi told Emirates Business. "The phone is targeted at the low-income segment and will give access to information and micro-finance services."

He said the introduction of such a product would have huge economic implications.

"With the acquisition of Kyocera, we had access to its R&D and used it to cater to the bottom of the pyramid. It will be a state-of-the-art device. Localised services and special features are areas of great potential for Mindtree."

The company is looking to distribute the product in the Middle East via telecom operators. "Technology has no national boundaries and, therefore, we will look at markets outside India," added Bagchi.

Mindtree is also planning to enter the security surveillance business by building intelligent solutions.

"Our internal team working on new solutions and segments for the company's future expansion plans will be launching a product line. Surveillance is not restricted to video but also involves getting intelligence to a central repository. It is no longer just about perimeter security – systems should be programmed to survey all areas."

"The camera will be designed to understand the topography of a site and even understand situations where explosives are involved. Analytic software will be used here."

Mindtree's software and services business operates globally. At least 62 per cent of its business comes from the US, which is followed in size by Europe and Asia Pacific. In the Middle East it currently has 12 projects, including nine in Dubai.

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