Tata Consultancy Services has landed a $120 million, multi-year deal to handle "comprehensive" IT services for the Chrysler corporation.

Although Tata's Manufacturing vertical is already focused on supplying IT services to automotive companies, and already has a number of deals with auto part OEMs, the more interesting aspect to the Chrysler deal is that it comes on the heels of a partnership between another Tata Group arm, Tata Motors, and Chrysler to adapt Tata's ACE mini-truck as an electric vehicle and import them to the US; and that news comes itself after some speculation last year that Tata may attempt to purchase Chrysler outright.

So, is this simply two companies finding some synergies in otherwise unrelated areas, or is Tata testing the waters before making a serious bid for the ailing American auto company?