Cisco Systems and Indian services company Wipro are collaborating to offer customers IT infrastructure services that combine Cisco's networking equipment with Wipro's infrastructure and managed services.

The joint offerings will include Cisco's technology in areas such as application networking services, data centers, security, and telepresence for virtual meetings, the companies said. Cisco and Wipro will collaborate to develop applications that support specific virtual industry models such as health care, financial services, retail, real estate, and transportation.

"We have been doing the plumbing so far, which is still good business, but we will increasingly be looking at offering solutions to customers," John Chambers, Cisco's chairman and chief executive officer told reporters in Bangalore Wednesday. Cisco expects that the tie-up with Wipro will bring the company revenue of about US$1 billion over the next three years.

The collaboration will initially focus on the Indian, Middle East, and African markets.

Cisco and Wipro are also setting up a Cisco Solution Centre at Wipro's campus in Bangalore, that will develop and showcase new services and applications around Cisco's technologies.

Cisco also announced that it was investing in a venture with another Indian services company, Satyam Computer Services that will focus on the development and deployment of healthcare applications.

The collaborations with Wipro and Satyam are part of Cisco's strategy to use India as a base for developing technologies and business models for emerging markets, which are expected to grow faster than markets in developed countries.

The company inaugurated its Globalisation Centre East campus this week, a new center that will work with partners in other emerging markets in the Middle East, Africa, China, Asia, and Latin America on developing technologies for emerging markets.