From Support to Strategy: The Expanding Mandate of GCCs in India

With this changing role comes the need for a new kind of workplace culture. GCCs today are reimagining what it means to be a great place to work. From hybrid work policies to employee wellness, from gender diversity to inclusive leadership training, these centres are raising the bar across every metric of employee experience.

Over the past two decades, India has transformed from being a hub for low-cost IT support to a thriving centre for global innovation. This transformation is being led by Global Capability Centres (GCCs), the offshore arms of multinational corporations that initially came to India for cost advantages but stayed for talent, innovation, and strategic capabilities.

Today, more than ever, GCCs in India are stepping into roles far beyond their original mandate. They are not just supporting functions; they are shaping the future of global enterprises. As their role evolves, the workplace culture within GCCs is also undergoing a radical shift, from utilitarian back offices to dynamic centres of excellence focused on collaboration, inclusion, innovation, and leadership.

The Rise of GCCs in India

India is home to over 1,950 GCCs employing 1.9 million people across various sectors, including technology, engineering, consulting, manufacturing, and BFSI, with a collective economic impact exceeding USD 60 billion.

This growth has been fueled by India’s deep talent pool, its rising digital maturity, and the ability of GCCs to shift from being cost centres to value creators. As organisations globalise their R&D, data science, cybersecurity, and AI operations, India’s GCCs are increasingly taking the lead in driving transformation projects and digital innovation.

They are also embracing agile operating models to stay ahead of the curve. Traditional hierarchical structures are being replaced with pod-based, cross-functional teams to drive speed and accountability. These agile setups are enabling quicker decision-making and innovation loops, particularly in areas like cloud migration, cybersecurity, and digital commerce. With real-time global collaboration tools and a talent force trained in next-gen skills, Indian GCCs are now functioning as true extensions of the global HQ, not just remote support units.

The trend has also seen the rise of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities as emerging hotspots for setting up new centres. Enhanced internet infrastructure, growing urbanisation, and focused government policies like Digital India and Startup India are creating favourable ecosystems for GCC expansion beyond traditional metros.

A New Era of Strategic Leadership

What’s striking about the GCC evolution is the shift in their mandate, from support functions like payroll processing or software maintenance to taking charge of core strategic initiatives. Many GCCs now run global Centres of Excellence (CoEs) out of India, steering product innovations, developing AI models, and designing solutions for markets worldwide.

For instance, several BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance) majors have set up AI and data science labs in India to run predictive analytics on customer behaviour, fraud detection, and investment modelling. FMCG companies are using their India-based centres to spearhead sustainability analytics and supply chain innovation.

This marks a fundamental redefinition of how global HQs view their India operations, not as a satellite unit, but as a leadership engine. This leadership engine is also driving IP creation. Increasingly, India-based teams are filing patents, contributing to core IP portfolios, and engaging in frontier research. This marks a significant leap, from execution to invention. The ability to lead innovation, backed by high-quality engineering and research talent, is turning India into a strategic R&D nucleus for industries like pharma, telecom, and autonomous mobility.

What’s even more promising is that Indian leaders within these GCCs are increasingly being elevated to global CXO roles. Their firsthand knowledge of scalable innovation, managing large cross-functional teams, and driving digital transformation at speed has made them invaluable to parent organisations.

Workplace Innovation: The New Benchmark

As per NASSCOM, GCCs in India are investing heavily in upskilling, wellness, and leadership development programs to retain top talent and foster innovation.

Another key focus area is diversity and inclusion. Forward-looking GCCs are now making measurable commitments towards increasing female leadership, creating gender-neutral policies, and fostering employee-led communities.

Recognition of such transformative practices is becoming essential, not only to celebrate the change-makers but also to create replicable models across the sector.

These workplace innovations are not just internal matters, they are being measured, benchmarked, and publicised as critical differentiators in talent acquisition and retention. Companies that can credibly showcase their people-first policies are finding it easier to attract global projects and responsibilities.

Progressive GCCs are also embedding ESG principles into workplace policies, promoting green buildings, carbon neutrality goals, and climate literacy among employees. This alignment with environmental and social governance is not just a tick-box activity anymore; it’s becoming a core value differentiator. Candidates, especially younger professionals, increasingly prefer employers with a clear social and sustainability mission, making it a competitive edge in employer branding.

Awards That Go Beyond Trophies

This is where workplace-focused initiatives within the GCC ecosystem are playing a vital role. In recent years, several platforms, such as GCC Workplace Awards, have emerged that spotlight exceptional GCCs for their employee-centric policies, culture innovation, and operational excellence.

These awards are not about size or profitability; they are about purpose, people, and practices. They serve key goals like:

Recognition of organisations that lead with empathy, innovation, and inclusiveness.
Inspiration to spark new ideas by learning from peers who’ve walked the path.
Connection among CXOs, HR leaders, and policymakers to build collective momentum.
Association that brings the ecosystem together to define the future of work.

They are also creating a lasting impact through community-building, policy dialogue, and partnerships with academia. In effect, these platforms are functioning like think tanks, shaping how GCCs in India will evolve in the next decade.

The ripple effect of this movement is already visible. GCCs that were once focused on internal process improvement are now hosting leadership bootcamps, championing ESG goals, and piloting future-of-work innovations that influence their parent organisations globally.

Talent Is the Differentiator

The war for talent is real, and GCCs understand that their future depends not just on hiring more people, but on hiring better and retaining longer. Today, the most successful GCCs are those that have built strong employer brands, ones that promise more than just jobs; they promise purpose, growth, and impact.

Studies have proven that companies with strong employer brands see more qualified applicants and experience a reduction in turnover.

To achieve this, many GCCs are working closely with talent partners who go beyond filling vacancies. These partners help define a company’s culture narrative, create compelling candidate journeys, and use data to inform recruitment strategy. The result is a more holistic approach to workforce planning, one that aligns with the values and aspirations of new-age professionals.

Whether it’s using AI to improve hiring efficiency or creating internal mobility frameworks to reduce attrition, today’s GCCs are rewriting the playbook on talent management. Many are also leveraging advanced learning management systems to offer customised skill-building journeys, mentorship programs, and global mobility options that make them attractive to top-tier talent across continents.A growing number of GCCs are collaborating with universities and ed-tech platforms to build custom learning academies. These programs not only equip employees with technical skills but also foster softer capabilities like leadership, communication, and design thinking. Such holistic skilling is crucial in preparing teams to take on global mandates and step into roles that require both domain depth and cross-cultural agility

A Sector at the Crossroads of Influence

As India positions itself as a global hub for digital transformation, GCCs are becoming a bridge between business strategy and execution. They enable global firms to test new business models, pilot sustainability initiatives, and experiment with tech like GenAI and blockchain, at speed and scale. India’s startup ecosystem is also playing a key role in this evolution. GCCs are increasingly partnering with homegrown startups and innovation hubs through accelerators, open innovation challenges, and co-creation labs. These collaborations bring fresh ideas and agility, helping GCCs stay future-ready while contributing to the growth of India’s innovation ecosystem. It’s a win-win that reinforces India’s positioning as not just a talent destination but also an idea capital.

The sector’s contribution to India’s broader economic and innovation landscape cannot be overstated. As per a report by EY, “Future of GCCs in India: A Vision 2030,”, the GCC market is expected to cross $100 billion by 2030, with a projected CAGR of 14% from 2023 to 2030. These captive units will be around 2400 to 2500 in number by 2030, with India emerging as the technology and services hub. The projected growth of GCCs is 115 units a year by 2030. GCCs are estimated to create job opportunities for 4.5 million people compared to 1.9 million currently.

Moreover, GCCs are playing a key role in regional development. Cities like Hyderabad, Pune, and Coimbatore are seeing a surge in new GCC openings, driven by better infrastructure, policy support, and talent availability. This decentralisation is helping spread economic activity beyond the top metros.

As India’s GCC story enters a new phase, it’s clear that success will depend on ecosystem thinking. Collaboration across companies, sectors, and institutions will be critical. Platforms that celebrate best practices, share insights, and encourage peer learning are going to be central to this journey.

The future will not be shaped by the loudest voices but by those quietly building cultures of care, courage, and curiosity. And while awards and accolades matter, what matters more is the community they create, the conversations they ignite, and the benchmarks they set.

India’s GCCs are no longer followers; they are frontrunners. From support to strategy, from execution to innovation, they are redefining what it means to be truly global, truly capable.

The future of work is being shaped here. And it looks inclusive, intelligent, and inspired. For further insights into the evolving workplace paradigm, visit