FACTBOX - Details of India's call centre, outsourcing sector

London police are investigating reports Indian call centre workers illegally sold British bank customer details.

Following are some facts about India's outsourcing-driven back-office industry:

1. Industry has grown more than 50 percent a year since 2001/02 (April-March).
   
   
2. Exports are expected by industry to touch $7.3 billion in the year to March, 2006, double those of 2003/04.
   
   
3. The sector employs 350,000, mainly low-cost, English-speaking workers earning a fifth of their Western counterparts.
   
   
4. Western unions oppose outsourcing and further transfer of jobs. Controversy figured in U.S. presidential elections.
   
   
5. Companies use India-based independent firms or their own Indian units to carry out work such as credit card sales, helpdesks and insurance claims processing.
   
   
6. Indian police are investigating a $400,000 credit card fraud involving MphasiS BFL workers.
   
   
7. India's software and service industry body plans a worker registry to help background checks and tighten controls.