TORONTO — The trend of outsourcing to lower-cost foreign jurisdictions is reshaping the technology sector — whether Canadian firms want it or not.

Increased competition dictates that technology players find low-cost partners or contract out work, said Ramalinga Raju, chairman of Satyam Computer Services Ltd., a tech provider based in India’s booming tech capital of Hyderabad. Mr. Raju was interviewed while visiting Toronto to address an entrepreneurs’ association.

“Competition is something you cannot wish away,” said Mr. Raju, founder and chairman of India’s fourth-largest software services exporter. “More often than not, offshore delivery has meant an offset in costs.”

Potential savings are dramatic. In Canada, the average computer programmer with two to three years experience earns between $33,000 and $65,000 annually. In comparison, programmers in India earn between $8,000 and $13,000 each year, reports on-line research firm Neolt.com.

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