BANGALORE, Aug 28: German software giant SAP said on Tuesday it was proceeding with plans to invest $1 billion by 2010 in India, where it doubled its corporate customers in just one year.

The company has designated India a strategic hub and said a major portion of the investment would go towards expanding its global services and support centres in Bangalore and Gurgaon, a New Delhi suburb.

The Indian operation is the largest research and development hub and support centre outside Germany for the Walldorf-based firm, which is adding clients at a record pace in the world’s second-fastest growing economy.

“Markets like India are at an inflection point when it comes to the adoption of technology by businesses of all shapes and sizes,” chief executive officer Henning Kagermann said in a statement.

“It took us nine years in India to reach the 1,000 customer mark, and only one to double it,” added Kagermann, who has brought SAP’s entire executive board on its first visit to the country.

The visit reflects the rising importance of the country to SAP “both as a vibrant market as well as a technology development and services-support delivery centre,” the company said. —AFP