Archive · 23 Aug 2026
India’s GCCs Shift From Back Offices Toward Innovation
Global Capability Centres, or GCCs, are offices that international companies build in India.
They used to do mostly routine office and computer work.
Now many of them design products, develop software, study new technologies, and help manage artificial intelligence.
This means Indian workers are doing more valuable and important jobs for companies around the world.
Most GCCs are located in six large Indian cities, especially Bengaluru.
The article says smaller cities could attract more centres if they receive better infrastructure and education facilities.
It also says India needs more specialists in areas such as AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors, and quantum computing.
The government is considering policies to support GCC growth and encourage cooperation with universities and startups.
The goal is for India to become a global innovation centre rather than mainly a services back office.
NASSCOM-Zinnov says India had 2,117 GCCs operating through 3,728 centres, employing 2.36 million people as of March 2026.
GCCs are increasingly handling product design, intellectual property, research, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence for multinational companies.
GCC activity remains concentrated in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR, with Bengaluru accounting for nearly 40% of activity.
The article cites differing FY2026 estimates: NASSCOM-Zinnov projects $98 billion in revenue and Wizmatic estimates $164 billion.
The proposed policy agenda includes a National GCC Mission, Tier-II city infrastructure, advanced skilling, regulatory simplification, and stronger university-startup partnerships.
- Who
- International multinational companies and Indian engineers, scientists, information-technology professionals, accountants, and auditors are involved in the GCC expansion.
- What
- India’s Global Capability Centre sector is growing and shifting from low-cost back-office work toward research, product development, intellectual property, artificial intelligence, and other high-value activities.
- When
- The figures primarily cover March 2026 and financial year 2025-26; the article also discusses growth since financial year 2020-21.
- Where
- GCCs are concentrated in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR, with proposed expansion to Kolkata and Tier-II cities.
- Why
- Companies use India’s large pool of English-speaking and specialized talent, while policymakers want to attract investment, create high-skilled jobs, and develop India into a global innovation hub.
- GCCs and centres
- NASSCOM-Zinnov reported 2,117 GCCs operating through 3,728 centres in India as of March 2026.
- Reported employment
- NASSCOM-Zinnov estimated GCC employment at 2.36 million people; Wizmatic estimated 4.2 million for financial year 2025-26.
- Reported revenue
- NASSCOM-Zinnov estimated $98 billion in revenue, while Wizmatic put financial year 2025-26 revenue at $164 billion.
- Geographic concentration
- About 90% of GCCs are located in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR.
- Services exports
- India’s services exports reached $387.6 billion in financial year 2024-25, according to the article.
- Artificial intelligence investment
- An Ernst & Young survey found that 83% of Indian GCCs were investing in generative AI and 58% were investing in agentic AI.
- Talent constraint
- A 2026 PwC-FICCI study found that 11% of GCC leaders said their headquarters were considering alternative locations because of talent constraints.