New Delhi, Jun 16 (IANS): IT spending by banking and securities companies in India will grow 8.6 percent in 2017 to reach $8.9 billion, research and advisory firm Gartner said on Friday.

IT services will grow the fastest at 13.8 percent in 2017 followed by software at 13.4 percent.

Firms in the banking and securities industry are investing more in enterprise resource planning (ERP)/supply chain management (SCM)/customer relationship management (CRM) to upgrade their existing infrastructure.

"The Indian banking sector has undergone a transformation. Banks are gradually lowering the number of branches and increasing capability in terms of their existing infrastructure," said Moutusi Sau, Principal Research Analyst at Gartner.

"Despite effects of demonetisation in the banking sector, banks will continue with digital transformation projects," Sau added.

Demonetisation is the primary reason for the slowdown in the banking and securities market in India but the effects will be short-lived, Gartner said.

The slowing manufacturing sector is also having an indirect effect on the banking and securities sector, it added.