Call center
© AlamyReversal of fortunes: Indian companies are now outsourcing their work to the U.S. where a struggling economy has caused lower wages
It's a frustration experienced by most people when they've made phone calls to large companies.

An unfamiliar voice answers the phone in a call centre hundreds of miles away where cheap labour is commonplace.

But in a reversal of fortunes it now appears that large Indian companies are actually now themselves outsourcing - to U.S. shores.

Large corporations that have boomed in India amid the country's nimble economy have been drawn to the U.S. where unemployment has soared.

Struggling residents desperate for work are paid between $12 and $14 a hour to be stationed in tiny cubicles for long shifts of telesales work.

Once the employees are established, many are offered the chance to be flown to India themselves - the same tactic Western countries have done in India.

Experts said that the phenomenon, which could become more widespread in the coming years, is partly due to Indian workers demanding higher wages and higher living standards.

'The U.S. became the fastest-growing location for us last year. We expect that to continue this year,' Genpact chief executive V.N. 'Tiger' Tyagarajan said.

Manhattan skyline New York
© AlamyCheap: A number of large companies have targeted Manhattan in New York due to high unemployment, particularly among African Americans
Joseph Vafi, an analyst at Jefferies & Co. in San Francisco told the Washington Post: 'What you have going on in India are salary hikes. As these companies get larger and larger, it just makes sense for them to do some hiring in the States.'

The Indian economy - boosted by a savings culture of large cash deposits - has boomed and is this year predicted to outpace China.

Businesses around the world have targeted India - part of the 'BRIC' emerging economies - for their global expansion.

Residents there have seen an increase in living standards and higher wages, which has led to higher spending.
Who Outsources the Most Jobs to the US?
  1. Tata Consultancy Service is based in Mumbai and had a turnover of $8bn in 2011. They employ more than 200,000 worldwide with a significant number of those, believed to be around 15,000 based as outsourced jobs in the U.S.
  2. Aegis Communications: Technology firm Aegis is part of the Essar group based in Mumbai with an annual revenue of $15bn. Aegis employs 9,000 in the U.S. at offices throughout the country.
  3. Wipro: Based in Bangalore, IT specialists Wipro employ around 4,000 people in jobs that have been outsourced to the U.S.
  4. Genpact: The IT outsourcing company employs 1,500 people in the U.S. but that is expected to triple over the next two years as bosses find it cheaper than employing Indian staff at home.
  5. Infosys: The company is based in Bangalore with an annual revenue of $100m. They have 130,000 employees worldwide.