HCL Technologies said the contract will be serviced from a centre set up in Noida, near the Indian capital exclusively to handle the work of BT.

Sujit Bakshi, chief executive of the Business Process Outsourcing unit for HCL Technologies, said their's was the only Indian firm with three-way communications between India, Britain and the US with dedicated centres.

"This, coupled with our range of service offerings, proven calibre and emphasis on investments to develop international standards and facilities, has won us this prestigious order from BT," he said in a letter to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

HCL Technologies surged 5.30 percent or 8.70 rupees on the BSE in afternoon trading to reach 172.75 rupees on the back of news of the BT contract.

The BSE-30-share index was up 31.64 points or one percent at 3,199.34.

Software analysts said the order will boost the morale of Indian software companies which suffered a series of backlashes from authorities in other countries.

During the past year, Indian software professionals working on projects overseas have been harassed thrice on charges of visa irregularities in the Netherlands, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Analysts said these incidents involving the arrests of Indian IT professionals abroad are the first signs of a backlash as jobs become scarce due to a global recession.

Indian software professionals are taking away many high-profile orders from multinational companies making local professionals redundant.

SPACE.WIRE