Trending @Infosys; Career Crossroads: Bench Time or a New Opportunity?

I’ve been working at Infosys for almost 4 years, mainly on automation testing projects, which I’m not really interested in. I asked my manager to move me to a development project, but instead, I was put on the bench. Now, I’m thinking whether I should wait for a better project inside the company or use this time to prepare for interviews and look for a new job. Being on the bench might also help in negotiating a shorter notice period. I’m trying to figure out which option would be better for my career.

I’d really appreciate your thoughts on this.