Satyam Computer Services, Hyderabad, has entered into a business partnership with Information Systems and Networks Corporation (ISN), a Washington DC-based software company.

As per the tie-up, while ISN takes up the responsibilities of customer dealings and management of schedules, the project execution will be done by Satyam. The project outlays range from $100 million to $400 million. The actual work on these administration projects would be taken up shortly.

An agreement under the aegis of Indo-Japan Trade Centre (IJTC) was signed in New Delhi recently with Softopia Foundation of Gifu Prefecture (IJSRU) to promote research and cooperation in the field of software and information technology in Japan and India.

Japan-based Softopia is a Foundation for the promotion of international exchange in the field of computer software research and development. It has been created as a centre for software research work in the latest technologies, including processing, multimedia and telecom. Under the agreement, Softopia will take steps to boost computer software exports from India to Japan.

Cisco Systems Inc., and HCL Corporation, India's premier transnational information technology (IT) conglomerate, have announced the inauguration of their software development centre in Chennai. The centre in which HCL and Cisco have made significant investments is already operational with 75 engineers.

This is the largest development centre set up by Cisco outside the US. Network management products and applications are beginning to be completely engineered and supported from this centre. The centre will provide expertise to advance the automation of Cisco's development and regression testing technologies.

SSA India, a wholly owned subsidiary of System Software Associates of the US, and the Chennai-based Pentafour Software and Exports, have entered into a strategic partnership agreement to market the former's product line- BPCS (business planning and control systems) client/server - to the local industrial sector. BPCS client/server, an ERP solution for medium to large sized businesses, is based on object oriented technology to meet the needs of a rapidly changing consumer environment.

A competency centre would also be set up in the software technology park of Pentafour Software on the outskirts of Chennai to provide core competency in product testing and software applications as well as imparting training for local IT professionals, helping them take advantage of the latest ERP technology.

Techna Digital Services Pvt Ltd., a company belonging to Techna Group International, is setting up a software development centre at Saltlec Electronics Complex, near Calcutta, as a joint venture company with Nippon Techna of Japan, at an estimated cost of Rs. 12.5 crores ($ 3.5 million ), to cater to the software needs of the Japanese market.

Techna Digital will hold 60% of the equity in the proposed joint venture, while the Japanese partner will hold the balance 40%. In fact, in Nippon Techna, Nippon holds 60% of the equity stake, while the balance is held by Techna International Corporation of the US.

Siemens Information Systems Ltd (SISL) has tied up with i2 Technologies Inc., a leading US-based vendor of supply chain planning and optimization software, according to a press release issued by the company. Under the agreement, SISL will market, implement and support i2's product in India.

NEC Corp. will form a joint venture with Crompton Greaves Ltd in India to manufacture microwave telecom systems, in a bid to take advantage of the country's telecom policy deregulation.

While NEC will hold a 51% stake in the new company - NEC CGT Telecom Systems Pvt. - Crompton Greaves will hold the remaining share.