India’s GCC Boom Fuels AI Talent War, Salaries Skyrocket
15 Apr 2025 / 02 min read
Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in India are on a talent hunt, driving up demand for artificial intelligence (AI) experts and pushing salaries to unprecedented levels. Experienced professionals in Bengaluru can now command up to Rs 48 lakh per annum (LPA) with just eight years of experience.
Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in India are on a talent hunt, driving up demand for artificial intelligence (AI) experts and pushing salaries to unprecedented levels. Experienced professionals in Bengaluru can now command up to Rs 48 lakh per annum (LPA) with just eight years of experience.
Roles in Generative AI, AI observability, and AI compliance are leading the compensation boom, outpacing traditional IT jobs by 20-50 percent, Technology staffing firm Quess IT Staffing India GCC Talent Landscape 2024 report has said.
GCCs Chase Talent in Tier-II Cities
As the demand for AI talent continues to outstrip supply, GCCs are expanding into Tier-II cities like Kochi, Ahmedabad, and Coimbatore, where operational costs are lower and specialized skill pools are emerging. However, these cities still lack depth in high-skill domains, forcing companies to rely on upskilling initiatives and relocation incentives.
According to the report Kochi is experiencing strong demand in professional services, healthcare operations and cybersecurity.
Within the GCC sector, certain tier-2 cities are turning into specialised talent hubs. Coimbatore is building strength in automotive, industrial technology and cloud operations. It is being considered for an engineering centre of excellence and IoT-led factory.
Jaipur is also showing momentum in BFSI tech, credit risk and e-commerce-led development.
Compensation is also shifting rapidly due to talent scarcity, and hiring in emerging GCC locations - Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad and Coimbatore- is creating regional salary variations.
BFSI and Retail Drive Hiring Spree
The banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector accounts for 18% of GCC hiring, with AI-led credit risk modeling and fraud detection roles witnessing 32% year-on-year growth. Retail and e-commerce firms are also investing heavily in AI-powered personalization and recommendation engines.
Talent Gap Remains a Challenge
Despite the growth in demand, 30-45% of critical positions in AI, cybersecurity, and cloud cost optimization remain unfilled due to a severe supply-demand mismatch. To plug this talent gap, GCCs are prioritizing upskilling programs and academia-industry collaborations.
India’s GCC Market Poised for Growth
With India’s GCC market expected to grow to $105 billion by 2030, the demand for AI talent is likely to continue. Roles like AI Observability Engineers and Blockchain Developers are expected to remain in high demand, but the current talent pipeline remains insufficient.
Key Cities for GCC Hiring
- Bengaluru: Rs 35.3-47.9 LPA for AI engineers with 8 years of experience
- Hyderabad: Rs 33-45 LPA
- Pune: Rs 31-41 LPA
The report highlights the need for strategic hiring and upskilling initiatives to bridge the talent gap and meet the growing demand for AI talent in India’s GCC market.
