'Employers increasingly want candidates who can take AI pilots from proof-of-concept to production-ready systems.'
'That requires governance, monitoring, and ROI measurement -- skills that go beyond coding and into business impact.'
Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff
When German optics major Carl Zeiss opened its tech-focused centre in Bengaluru to build cybersecurity, cloud and software services -- with plans to double its India headcount within three years -- it wasn't just another office expansion.
Likewise, J P Morgan Chase is scaling up one of the largest Global Capability Centre footprints in India: The bank already employs about 55,000 people across five cities, and according to Reuters, it plans to grow that base by 5% to 7% annually over the next few years.
Its GCC operations span technology and operations hubs, including major new facilities opened in Mumbai and Bengaluru in 2023, underscoring India's central role in the bank's global delivery model.
These are not isolated instances of how the GCC landscape is evolving in India. They represent clear signals that India's GCC industry, valued at $64.6 billion in FY2024, has become the beating heart of global corporate strategy.
Not long ago, GCCs in India were dismissed as cost-arbitrage back offices. Today, they've transformed into $60 billion-$65 billion brain and nerve hubs that run customer experience, design products, automate supply chains, secure enterprises and, increasingly, ship AI at scale for Fortune-500s.
Industry estimates from NASSCOM and Zinnov put the Indian GCC market on a trajectory to reach approximately $99 billion to $105 billion by 2030 -- a growth path that explains why boardrooms from Frankfurt to Minneapolis now treat Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and even Kochi, Mysore and Indore as strategic sites, not satellite stations.
What Exactly is a GCC Now?
Old view: Captive cost centre handling support tickets.
New reality: An 'extension of hi-tech global HQs' building products, owning roadmaps and P&Ls, and increasingly setting global standards for security, compliance and AI.
"The real inflection point is that cost is no longer the main story -- it's the maturity of India's trained talent and its innovation mindset," says Monica S Pirgal, CEO of Bharatiya Converge.
"Global firms now trust India to execute boardroom strategies end-to-end, because the workforce has spent decades learning global practices and is ready from day one to deliver."
From Cost to Capability -- and Credibility
The evolution manifests in the work itself. Sectors once relegated to 'shared services' are relocating core functions to India: Product engineering in manufacturing, risk and payments in BFSI, clinical data operations in life sciences, and AI/ML platforms across industries.
"Hiring is no longer about adding volume -- it's about finding professionals who can deliver niche expertise immediately," notes Garima Pandey, who tracks hiring trends for global GCCs. "AI and cloud roles are critical, but soft skills like communication and the ability to translate data into business outcomes are just as important."
As Quess CEO Guruprasad Srinivasan noted, GCC assignments skew toward professionals with 5 to 8 years' experience and command richer fees than entry-level outsourcing -- the experience band where value creation peaks, with niche skills commanding premium rates.
The Numbers Behind the Narrative
While growth headlines can feel breathless, the underlying metrics are substantial. India hosted approximately 1,700 GCCs as of FY2024 employing roughly 1.9 million people, with credible projections of 1,900 centres and multi-million employment opportunities by decade-end.
Coimbatore, Kochi, Jaipur Join the GCC Revolution
For decades, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Pune have dominated India's GCC geography. But the second strand of India's GCC story is geographical dispersion -- Tier-II cities represent the steepest growth curve.
"Tier-II cities are no longer just satellite outposts. They offer lower costs, lower attrition, and surprisingly strong STEM talent pools," says Pandey. "For many professionals, staying in their hometowns provides better work-life balance, while companies benefit from higher retention and 20% to 30% savings compared to metros."
Why Tier-II Works for GCCs
- 20% to 30% lower salary and facilities costs compared to metros
- Significantly lower attrition rates (10% to 12% versus 18% to 20% in metros)
- Rapidly improving airport connectivity and competitive state government incentives
- Fresh talent from local NITs and private universities demonstrates greater retention
A Deloitte India report highlighted that the next 200 GCCs will likely be established outside the top four metros, reflecting both real estate cost pressures and companies' strategic desire to tap unexploited talent reservoirs.
"The evolution began when metropolitan cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Gurgaon reached saturation after successfully capitalising on GCC opportunities due to available talent pools. Recognising this lucrative opportunity for state revenue generation, other state governments developed highly viable and business-friendly GCC policies, offering rebates, refunds, and incentives to attract global companies," says Pirgal explaining the reason why tier-II cities are also emerging as GCC hotspots.
"Within India, Tier-I cities like Bengaluru or Hyderabad have become expensive, with higher attrition. In contrast, Tier-II cities like Indore, Jaipur and Trivandrum offer 20% to 30% lower costs while still supplying strong STEM talent."
"These are often candidates who would otherwise migrate to metros. Now, if they get jobs in their hometowns, they accept lower salaries, stay longer, and enjoy better work-life balance. It's a win-win for both employers and employees," adds Pandey.
Skills That Secure GCC Positions in 2025
For job seekers, the reality is straightforward: GCCs prioritise impact roles. Intense demand exists for AI/ML engineering, data platforms and analytics, cybersecurity, cloud and platform engineering, DevOps/SRE, enterprise and solution architecture, and product management.
"Employers increasingly want candidates who can take AI pilots from proof-of-concept to production-ready systems," says Pirgal. "That requires governance, monitoring, and ROI measurement -- skills that go beyond coding and into business impact."
"Current trends indicate strong focus on automation, RPA (Robotic Process Automation), Generative AI, and Agent AI. These technologies are already central to boardroom discussions in both GCCs and headquarters, exploring how to leverage technology for increased business agility, profitability, and speed," says Pirgal.
The overall market demonstrates selectivity: employers seek candidates capable of hardening systems against emerging threats and quantifying business outcomes.
"On the technical side, machine learning, AI, and domain-specific technology expertise are hot areas. But it's not just hard skills. Soft skills like communication and the ability to present data effectively are equally important. In today's GCCs, data should do the talking -- and employees need to be able to translate technical insights into business outcomes," says Pandey.
And how smooth and effective does the entire hiring process becomes with the use of technology?
"GCCs are actively using AI for predictive hiring, attrition risk analysis, and workforce planning. It saves costs, reduces repetitive human effort, and produces more accurate insights. Any task that can be automated -- screening, matching, predictive analytics – is increasingly being handled by AI. Humans will focus on judgment and decision-making," says Pandey.
What Industry Leaders Say About Current Hiring Trends
GCCs are becoming true innovation hubs, not cost centres," says Pandey. "AI-driven hiring, predictive workforce planning, and data analytics are already in use. Any repetitive task -- from resume screening to attrition risk analysis -- will be handled by AI, freeing humans to focus on judgment and decision-making."
Roles GCCs Are Currently Advertising (2025 Snapshot)
- AI/ML & Data: Platform engineers, MLOps specialists, applied scientists
- Cybersecurity: Detection engineering, identity management, GRC specialists
- Cloud & Infrastructure: SRE/DevOps, FinOps practitioners
- Product & Design: Product managers, UX researchers
Why Global CEOs Are Comfortable Scaling GCC Investments
Three primary forces explain why multinational firms are expanding their GCC commitments in India according to Pirgal:
- Scale and skills depth
- AI-native strategic ambition
- Ecosystem maturation
Risks to Monitor
This trajectory isn't linear, though. BFSI GCCs face documented 42% talent shortages in AI and data capabilities; Tier-II dispersion can strain leadership bandwidth; and many organisations risk entrapment in AI 'pilot purgatory.'
"The real concern isn't regulation -- it's whether India can move from being an executor to being an innovator," Pirgal wonders. "We need bigger bets on R&D, startups, and homegrown IP creation. Otherwise, we'll always be implementing solutions developed elsewhere."
The $100-Billion Question
NASSCOM projects India's GCC sector could reach $100 billion by 2030, driven by high-value service delivery.
India's GCC narrative has evolved from questions about where work gets done to what work gets accomplished.
For candidates, the signal is unambiguous: Invest in AI/data, cloud, cybersecurity, and product management skills; compile evidence of tangible outcomes; and don't overlook Tier-II opportunities.
© 2025