The online support centre in India will provide research and support information for its onsite consultants as well as clients across the globe.

Moreover, the company will set up a global software consulting unit in India to channelise offshore software implementation and development projects to Indian software development companies.

While talking to The Financial Express in an exclusive interview, Mr Romil Bahl, vice president of AT Kearney Inc said, "Over the next year, AT Kearney is planning to centralise its research and desktop content capabilities in India. This will be an internal initiative allowing us to support consulting and client projects faster and on a round the clock operations."

Additionally, AT Kearney is also looking at the option of centralising its desktop publishing operations in India which will also allow AT Kearney to consolidate preparation of communication material for clients, added Mr Bahl.

Talking about the IT operations of the company, Mr Bahl said that the firm is also stepping up its IT activities by leveraging the expertise of $19 billion parent company, EDS. The company is planning to set up a centralised facility in India to route worldwide software development and consulting assignment as offshore projects.

Explaining the move, Mr Bahl said that the company would not enter into the software development itself but will work as an effective interactive channel between its clients and associate software companies in India so that the clients can take the advantage of the cost, time and skills of India.

However, Mr Bahl refused to give further details about the size and investments in setting up the support centre and offshore channels for outsourced software development. "The plans are on the drawing board and no concrete information can be shared right now," he said.

AT Kearney is a $1.33 billion world-wide management consultancy firm of the EDS group.