As we move into 2026, one thing is clear: 2025 marked a turning point for India’s Global Capability Center (GCC) ecosystem. The year was not just about how many GCCs were set up, but how they were designed, where they were located, and what kind of work they were trusted with.

India added around 210–220 GCC units in 2025, driven by 100+ new entrants and 115–120 expansions. The fact that expansions outpaced greenfield setups is telling. It reflects growing confidence from global headquarters, as existing GCCs proved their ability to scale, deliver complex outcomes, and take on larger global mandates. India is increasingly seen as a long-term strategic base, not a trial destination.

City strategies matured, not shifted

City selection in 2025 followed a clear and deliberate pattern. Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, NCR, and Mumbai continued to anchor GCC strategy, housing leadership teams, product owners, architects, and client-facing roles. These cities remain critical for depth of talent, ecosystem maturity, and executive hiring.

At the same time, Tier-2 cities such as Coimbatore, Trivandrum, Kochi, Indore, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Bhubaneswar gained traction as execution and scale hubs. Companies increasingly adopted a dual-city model—using Tier-1 locations for strategy and governance, while Tier-2 cities enabled cost-efficient growth, lower attrition, and faster capacity build-out. This was less about moving away from Tier-1 cities, and more about optimizing the GCC footprint.

Hybrid and phased GCC models became the norm

Another defining shift in 2025 was the way GCCs were structured. Hybrid and phased entry models became the default, particularly for mid-market firms and PE-backed companies. Instead of setting up large, fully owned centers on day one, organizations started with focused teams, partnered selectively, validated outcomes, and scaled in stages. This approach reduced risk, improved speed to value, and aligned GCC growth closely with business priorities.

AI, data, and cybersecurity led entry mandates

Functionally, new GCCs no longer started with only IT support or back-office work. AI, data engineering, platform development, and cybersecurity emerged as the most common starting points across sectors. These areas offered immediate business impact and aligned with global transformation priorities, reinforcing the shift from cost arbitrage to capability creation.

Sector mix highlights where global firms are placing their bets

Among the 100+ new GCC entrants in 2025, Hi-Tech dominated with about 40% of additions, driven by demand for digital product engineering, cloud platforms, AI models, and data infrastructure. BFS and Healthcare followed, highlighting India’s growing role in regulated, high-complexity work such as risk analytics, compliance platforms, core modernization, and digital health solutions.

Importantly, many of these new GCCs started with senior leadership roles and high-value charters, rather than building up slowly over time. Leadership density and ownership levels were visibly higher from day one.

From scale to sophistication

2025 marked a clear inflection point for India’s GCC ecosystem, with the focus moving away from rapid scale alone to capability depth and strategic relevance. Speed, ownership, and outcome-driven execution are becoming the new benchmarks.

As the ecosystem enters 2026, the next phase will be defined by maturity where India-based GCCs evolve into centres of global accountability, innovation leadership, and long-term value creation.