The cost advantage
One of the biggest reasons companies look to India is the cost advantage. On average, hiring IT, finance, or accounting professionals offshore can reduce labour costs by up to 70% compared to Australia, the UK, or the US.
To put that into perspective:
● A software engineer in India might earn between $10,000 and $15,000 per year, while the same role can cost upwards of $70,000–$90,000 in international markets.
● A chartered accountant in India averages around $8,000–$12,000 annually, compared with $70,000+ in Australia.
These figures show why SMEs and first-time outsourcers can stretch their budgets further without compromising on talent.
And it’s not just about routine tasks anymore. Many Indian professionals now work on cybersecurity, tax and compliance, and cloud projects that are central to business strategy. While the cost savings are significant, the greater advantage is access to people with the skills to undertake complex, high-value work. For a closer look at role-by-role comparisons, you can explore the figures in our salary guide .
Why it matters for first-time outsourcers
For SMEs and first-time outsourcers, the decision to build an offshore team often comes with a lot of questions: Will the quality hold up? Can we scale if things go well? How do we avoid a mismatch? India helps answer these concerns by offering a unique mix of scale, skills, and cost benefits.
Scalability
With one of the world’s largest professional workforces, India gives businesses the flexibility to start small and grow fast. Whether you need one finance analyst today or a 20-person IT support team next quarter, the talent pool is deep enough to meet that demand.
Specialisation
This isn’t just about generalists. India has a rich base of professionals with niche expertise – from AI and machine learning engineers to audit, compliance, and tax specialists. For SMEs, that means you can plug specific skill gaps quickly without spending months on local hiring.
Global alignment
Many Indian professionals train under ACCA, CIMA, or globally recognised IT certifications. This ensures they’re familiar with international reporting standards, technical frameworks, and compliance requirements, making it easier for businesses to integrate offshore teams into their existing processes.
Cost advantage
Labour costs in India are typically 70% lower than in Australia, the UK, or the US. But the bigger story is what that saving allows: freeing up budgets to invest in product development, customer experience, or scaling sales while your offshore team handles the operational load.
