Avaya, one of the leading providers of business communications applications, systems and services, has announced the expansion of its R&D operations in Pune as part of its initiative to increase its foothold in India. Simultaneously, the company has also announced the appointment of Sam (Samir) Gulve as managing director, Avaya India and vice president of Avaya’s Global Communication Solutions (GCS) division.

Since 2005, Avaya's R&D operations in India have witnessed significant growth. The company is now expanding its operations in the western part of the country with the goal of tapping the vast talent pool of developers available and subsequently strengthening its technical expertise and offerings in the area of business communications applications. 

Commenting on these developments, Mark Leigh, president, Avaya Asia Pacific said, "India has been identified as one of the high-growth markets for Avaya. This region represents a huge potential for Avaya in terms of talent growth. We will continue to build our capabilities and enhance our geographic presence here as part of our globalisation drive. Sam’s extensive experience in the telecom industry will play a key role in the growth that we see here. He will be responsible for developing Avaya's R&D strategy in India to globally manage off-shore work."