A few Indian software companies soon may make it into the big leagues on the strength of innovative applications. Here are some of the most promising:

Bahwan CyberTek Pvt. Ltd.: This vendor's Cuecent BPMS product is a business-process-management tool that lets users diagram how they want to connect particular processes, such as invoicing and fulfillment, using a graphical interface. The integration takes place automatically through the use of Web services and XML tools. Customers include Bank One, British Petroleum, and Capital One.

Calsoft Private Ltd.: Led by former Oracle exec Dr. Anupam Bhide, who helped build Oracle 8, Calsoft is looking to tap the hot market for products that help enable storage virtualization. Its NextGenNAS software lets users run disparate storage boxes from a single console, under a single name space. Its DirectCIFS technology helps users connect SAN and NAS storage architectures.

Compulink Systems Ltd.: It's not surprising that an Indian software company would develop a product aimed at IT services and consulting companies--the biggest players in the country's tech industry. Compulink's online application, Whizible, lets IT-services project managers track billing, service levels, project deadlines, and other key metrics. Accenture, Sierra Atlantic, and Wipro are among its customer base of 75 companies.

Srishti Software Pvt. Ltd.: Srishti develops software for the financial industry and other information-intensive businesses. Its Wisdom enterprise knowledge-management suite can automatically index and store incoming documents, such as credit reports, and make them available to teams of workers through a collaborative, Web-based platform. Customers include CBS MarketWatch, Deutsche Bank, and Webster Bank.