Adobe Systems to invest $50 m to expand infrastructure, R&D

New Delhi: Adobe Systems has announced its plans to invest $50 million over the next five years in expanding the infrastructure and research and development (R&D) related activities in India.

The announcement was made at the inauguration of its R&D complex in Noida on which the company has already spent $10 million. R&D is a major activity for the company and it spends about 18 to 21 per cent of its revenues on this sector.

“The opening of this new facility is an example of our commitment to India,“ says Shantanu Narayan, a senior Adobe official. Adobe began its R&D activity in India on an extremely modest scale with just three employees in January 1998. The company now employs 140 engineers in India and plans to increase the number over the next few years.

Narayan says the Noida R&D centre will contribute towards product development in all the three streams — digital imaging, cross-media publishing and e-paper solutions. Adobe has also involved IIT, Kanpur, in R&D for digital video space and software protection.

Terming them as long-gestation projects, Adobe India managing director Naresh Gupta says the company might extend similar partnership with other universities if the results are “fruitful.“

While R&D will be carried out in the country on an accelerated basis, Adobe sees potential for its software products, especially in sectors such as publishing, films and the government. “We are still under-represented in India, partly due to piracy,“ rues Gupta.