RISE is an ACM SIGSOFT Task Force and a research-driven initiative that fosters engagement between Indian software industry, government, and the global SE research community.
India hosts one of the world's largest software engineering ecosystems, employing over five million software professionals across diverse domains and cities, with major global R&D centres operated by Microsoft, IBM, Mercedes-Benz, Shell, SAP, and others. Yet despite accounting for around 16% of the global software workforce, India's representation in top-tier international SE venues such as ICSE, FSE, and ASE remains below 2%. As AI-driven software development accelerates, India's industry is witnessing large-scale adoption of generative and predictive AI in everyday software work, presenting a unique opportunity to document, understand, and shape how AI is transforming software engineering practice in real-world industrial contexts.
Operating under ACM SIGSOFT, RISE works to surface real-world AI and SE challenges from Indian industry, mobilise academic researchers to engage with them, and build structured linkages with NASSCOM and adjacent platforms across industry and government.
Reach out to major software R&D centres, software powerhouses, and startups across India to identify and document real-world AI-driven SE practices, challenges, and emerging solutions through structured meetings and industry events.
Build formal collaboration between ACM SIGSOFT and Indian software industry bodies such as NASSCOM, with the goal of creating dedicated threads on Software Engineering and Research toward Indian and global SE research.
Mobilise academic researchers to engage with industry-defined problems through co-created research challenge calls, pilot projects, and a curated catalogue of challenges accessible to the SIGSOFT community.
Build an industry consortium across associations, R&D centres, and product firms to sustain RISE activities through co-funding from Year 2, with industry-led continuity from Year 3 integrated into ISEC and adjacent forums.
RISE works across a broad set of stakeholders that shape software engineering practice and research in India. The categories below indicate the scope of engagement during the initial term. A working stakeholder map is maintained internally and will be expanded as the Task Force progresses.
Indian IT services, global captive R&D centres, and emerging AI-first companies operating at industrial scale.
Examples include leading Indian IT services firms, global software and AI research labs based in India, and Indian foundation-model and AI infrastructure startups.
National industry associations, product-industry think tanks, and regional consortia shaping the software industry agenda.
Examples include NASSCOM and its AI and DeepTech initiatives, iSPIRT, DSCI, and ACM iSOFT as the Indian chapter of SIGSOFT.
Central ministries, national missions, research funding bodies, and standards organisations relevant to software and AI.
Examples include MeitY, the IndiaAI Mission, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, ANRF, and the Bureau of Indian Standards.
Academic conferences, industry summits, and policy forums where RISE will have a presence over the initial term.
Examples include SERI, ISEC, NASSCOM Technology and Leadership Forum, NASSCOM AI Summit, IndiaAI Impact Summit, and the ACM India Annual Event.
RISE is an open initiative. We welcome researchers, practitioners, students, and chapter representatives who would like to take part.
This is an expression of interest, not a membership. RISE is a SIGSOFT Task Force rather than a membership body, so existing ACM, SIGSOFT, or iSOFT memberships continue as they are. The form simply helps us understand who would like to engage, and how.
You might contribute to activities and events, represent your ACM chapter, attend RISE sessions, or simply stay informed as the Task Force develops.
Your expression of interest has been received. We will be in touch as the Task Force develops.