BANGALORE: IBM, the world's largest computer services company, said on Tuesday it plans to invest about $6 billion in India over three years, underscoring the country's growing importance as a global hub for information technology outsourcing.

“India and other emerging economies are an increasingly important part of IBM's global success,” said Samuel Palmisano, the firm's chairman and chief executive.

 IBM said it would expand its services, software, hardware and research businesses in India, where it already is the largest multinational company with more than 43,000 employees in 14 cities.