Indian IT company NIIT Technologies on Wednesday signed a USD 85 million partnership agreement with Georgia-based media company Morris Communications to jointly offer IT and BPO services in North America.

NIIT Technologies will have a controlling interest in the joint venture and both companies will jointly invest USD 85 million in the new venture over a period of five years.

"This is a strategic transformational deal which enhances our onshore presence, to expand its footprint in the US market," NIIT Technologies President Lalit Dhingra said.

Under the terms of the agreement, Morris will transfer its key assets -- including IT infrastructure, people and applications landscape -- to the joint venture.

"This partnership will significantly reduce our costs of operations and services, while improving the level of services required to meeting our objectives in the future," Steve K Stone, Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of Newspapers and Shared Services at Morris Communications, said.

NIIT Technologies offers IT solutions to organisations across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Morris' holdings include 13 daily newspapers, numerous non-daily and free community papers, 33 radio stations and two radio networks, two book publishing and distribution houses, numerous magazines and specialised publications, over 100 visitor (travel and tourism) publications, an online service and two event marketing companies.