Tag: GCC

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India hosts 180 retail GCCs, leads globally

India has strengthened its position as the world’s largest retail and FMCG Global Capability Centre (GCC) hub, with more than 180 centres employing over 2.7 lakh professionals, according to a new industry report. The milestone reflects the country’s growing importance in global business operations and digital transformation.

Retail and FMCG companies are increasingly setting up GCCs in India to manage technology, artificial intelligence (AI), analytics, finance, supply chain operations, customer experience and product development. These centres, once focused mainly on back-office work, are now playing a strategic role in driving innovation and supporting global decision-making.

The report highlights that India’s large pool of skilled professionals, competitive operating costs and mature digital ecosystem continue to attract multinational companies. Businesses are expanding their India operations to accelerate AI adoption, improve operational efficiency and build advanced technology solutions for global markets.

Bengaluru remains the country’s leading GCC destination, accounting for 30.6% of India’s retail AI talent. The city benefits from a strong technology ecosystem, world-class engineering talent and an active startup community, making it the preferred location for global retailers.

GCCs are creating thousands of high-value jobs in software engineering, cybersecurity, cloud computing, machine learning and data science. Demand for specialised digital skills is expected to increase further as companies invest more in automation and AI-powered business solutions.

The report also notes that India’s GCC ecosystem is moving beyond traditional support services. Many centres are now leading global product innovation, research and development, digital commerce and customer engagement initiatives, making India an integral part of multinational companies’ long-term growth strategies.

Experts believe the sector will continue to expand as global businesses seek resilient and cost-effective operating models. Government initiatives supporting digital infrastructure and manufacturing, combined with India’s deep talent base, are expected to strengthen the country’s leadership.

With more than 180 retail GCCs already operational and new investments on the horizon, India is well positioned to remain the preferred global destination for retail and FMCG companies looking to build future-ready technology and innovation capabilities.

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Leaders

ANSR CEO says AI slows GCC hiring in India

Global capability centres (GCCs) in India are slowing hiring as artificial intelligence reshapes job roles and companies adopt a more cautious approach to expansion, according to ANSR CEO Lalit Ahuja.

India hosts more than half of the world’s GCCs, serving as a major hub for global firms in technology, finance and engineering due to its large skilled workforce and lower operating costs. However, that hiring momentum is now easing as companies reassess staffing needs.

Ahuja said firms are becoming more conservative in recruitment as AI reduces the need for certain roles and automates parts of traditional workflows. He noted that some companies have cut hiring plans by 30% to 50%, with earlier projections for centres employing over 5,000 people now being scaled down to around 2,000.

He added that the change is not driven only by cost concerns but also by uncertainty in global markets and the rapid adoption of AI tools, which are reshaping how work is distributed across teams. Many organisations are now adopting a “wait and test” approach, expanding more slowly rather than committing to large-scale hiring upfront.

Despite the slowdown in hiring, India continues to remain a key destination for global companies setting up capability centres. Industry estimates still project growth in the overall number of GCCs, but with a shift in focus from large headcount expansion to smaller, more agile teams.

The nature of work inside these centres is also changing. Instead of large volumes of routine tasks, companies are increasingly moving toward higher-value work supported by automation and AI-driven systems.

Ahuja said the long-term outlook remains positive for India, but the structure of employment is evolving. Future GCC growth, he noted, will likely depend less on scale alone and more on specialised skills, digital capabilities and AI integration across operations.

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1 Minute-Read

Indian GCCs cut 6,000 jobs in 2025 amid global pressures

In 2025, India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs) reduced around 6,000 jobs due to global economic pressures, restructuring, and efficiency drives.

Major cuts came from Technicolor (~3,000 jobs) and others including Ford’s AUMOVIO and Fidelity. Despite this, the sector continued to grow, with 101 new GCCs launched and net employment rising by 135,000–150,000, reflecting strong demand for tech, AI, and cloud talent.

Experts say the layoffs indicate a shift toward high-value roles rather than a sector slowdown, highlighting transformation within India’s GCC ecosystem.