"India is not only one of the fastest growing markets for us, but also a global hub for our software development," Kagermann told reporters in the southern technology center of Bangalore.
The company, based in Walldorf, Germany, already has a center in Bangalore where it employs 1,100 people. SAP has just completed an investment of $24 million that was used to build a software campus in the city.
The new round of hiring will make Bangalore SAP's largest development center outside Germany, Kagermann said.
Companies use SAP's and similar software to run offices and factories, manage inventories, keep employee details, and track sales. SAP commands 31 percent share in the global market for business software. It employs 30,000 people and has 23,400 customers worldwide.
Scores of companies in the United States and Europe farm out software development and other white-collar work to countries such as India, where wage and real estate costs are lower. Indian firms earn $12.5 billion annually by providing such services.
"We are looking for the best talent globally, and here is where we can ramp up talent quickly," Kagermann said, referring to the large pool of skilled workers in India.
Kagermann also said India would be one of the three fastest growing markets for SAP's software. The company already has 650 customers and a 58 percent market share in the country.