NEW DELHI—Microsoft has shifted its Indian PR assignment, one of the country's largest accounts, to Edelman from IPAN Hill+Knowlton.

IPAN had held the assignment since 2011, but lost out to Edelman in a pitch that featured at least two other agencies. The review followed the arrival last year of Gayatri Rath as Microsoft India's director of corporate communications and citizenship, succeeding Meenu Handa, who had earlier left for Amazon. 

Edelman's remit covers consumer, B2B and corporate/citizenship, and is estimated at more than $500k. 

An Edelman representative confirmed the appointment. The agency starts work on the account on 1 July.

Edelman handles Microsoft business in various markets around the world, primarily through its conflict shop Assembly.

Last year, Microsoft overhauled its PR roster in China, bringing in Burson-Marsteller, Weber Shandwick and Waggener Edstrom in place of H-Line Ogilvy. 

Microsoft representatives did not respond to request for comment as this story went live.