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Manufacturing and Transport Drive India's Global Capability Centre Boom
Global capability centres are technology offices that large companies build to manage their own computer systems and specialized work.
More manufacturing and transport companies are opening these offices in India than before.
They want skilled workers who can help them use artificial intelligence and modernize their operations.
India is attractive because it has many trained workers and comparatively lower office costs.
In the first nine months of 2026, 74 new centres were announced.
Manufacturing and transport companies opened about 30% of them.
Hyderabad received more new centres than Bengaluru during this period, although Bengaluru still has the most centres overall.
Some experts say companies mainly want innovation and control, while another says supply-chain problems are pushing firms to use India to save money.
Manufacturing and transport companies accounted for 23 of India’s 74 new global capability centres announced in the first nine months of 2026.
Their share rose to about 30%, compared with roughly 20% of new centres established by manufacturing firms during 2025.
Banking, financial services and insurance companies accounted for only four new centres, or 5.4%, in the first nine months of 2026.
Hyderabad led new GCC additions with slightly more than 33%, while Bengaluru retained the largest nationwide share of centres.
Companies are expanding in India to access skilled talent, support AI-led digitization and reduce costs, although executives differ on the main motivation.
- Who
- Manufacturing and transport companies, along with other global firms establishing global capability centres in India.
- What
- Manufacturing and transport firms overtook BFSI companies as the leading source of new Indian global capability centres.
- Where
- India, especially Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune and Coimbatore.
- When
- The figures cover the first nine months of 2026, with comparisons to 2025 and FY25.
- Why
- Companies are seeking skilled talent, AI and digital capabilities, greater control over technology, and lower operating costs.
Innovation and technology ownership
Cost reduction and supply-chain resilience
Main reason for expansion
Innovation and technology ownership
HFS Research and other executives say companies are seeking skilled AI talent, digitizing operations and gaining greater ownership of technology, engineering capability, data and institutional knowledge.
Cost reduction and supply-chain resilience
Bridgepath Innovations CEO Ramaswamy Narayanan says supply-chain disruption and Middle East conflicts may be encouraging firms to use India primarily as a cost-saving location rather than initially as an innovation hub.
Future of manufacturing GCC growth
Innovation and technology ownership
KAN managing partner Kaushik Srinivasan expects manufacturing and transportation to be the next natural wave because these businesses are becoming technology businesses rapidly.
Cost reduction and supply-chain resilience
The article does not identify a competing forecast against continued growth, but notes that supply-chain uncertainties caused by the Middle East conflict remain a factor for companies.
Key facts
- New GCCs announced
- 74 in the first nine months of 2026
- Manufacturing and transport centres
- 23, or about 30% of new centres
- Manufacturing share in 2025
- 26 of 132 new GCCs, or about 20%
- BFSI share in early 2026
- Four centres, or 5.4%, compared with 16% in 2025
- Current GCC base
- About 2,000 centres in India
- Nasscom projection
- About 2,200 centres and a $105 billion market by March 2030
- Leading city for 2026 additions
- Hyderabad, with slightly more than 33% of new centres
Quotes
Ramaswamy Narayanan
CEO of Bridgepath Innovations, a Bengaluru-based GCC consulting firm
“After years of supply-chain disruption and geopolitical uncertainty, companies have realised that critical knowledge cannot sit entirely with vendors or be fragmented across multiple locations. A GCC gives them greater ownership of technology, engineering capability, data and institutional knowledge”
livemint.com
“The Middle East conflicts would have affected their supply chains and they may be looking at India as a cost-saving location rather than an innovation hotbed right from the start”
livemint.com
Sources
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