The Siemens Enterprise Networks project, which the company operates from Calcutta, provides support to over 10,000 customers and about 45 companies across the globe. Fluency in reading, comprehending and writing German with advanced-level certification from the Goethe Institute are prerequisites for the job along with the relevant technical qualifications and experience.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), too, has been recruiting people with foreign language skills. The company's dedicated Japan offshore delivery centre in Calcutta employs 100 people.

Other Indian companies with a global presence are similarly keen to recruit people who know languages like German, Japanese, Italian, French and Spanish because their businesses are growing in Europe and Southeast Asia.

"Companies that have set up shop in Europe and Southeast Asia are realising that language is a barrier to servicing clients there. If we don't pick up language skills, we will lose out on business from these places," said Kalyan Kar, the managing director of Acclaris.