@Brian Devlin Technical debt + Lack of scalability: Can be solved with regular code reviews, automated testing and collective code ownership Time zones: not a problem if you're choosing the right team with the right communication skills Poor db design: Not an issue when hiring senior-level professionals (the cost of which will be low in south asian countries compared to others) Poor communication: can be resolved with routine communication emphasized in the contract, and taking more time to choose the right teammates non-standard code+no documentation: Completey avoidable through hiring a reputed agency who follow standard coding practices with documentations for regulatory compliance, so a different team can pick up the sdlc anytime from anywhere "Low cost" doesn't necessarily mean "low quality" when you're hiring from a region or country that has proven to deliver on par with professionals from regions with higher charge for delivery and better access to the right tools, while charging much lower for services.