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From advancing healthcare research to managing billion-dollar financial portfolios, a growing number of global giants are turning to India for leadership and innovation. Companies such as Microsoft, J.P. Morgan, Walmart, Sanofi and others are each building deep capabilities in sectors as diverse as tech, finance, retail, and life sciences.

Once concentrated in IT, the Global Capability Centre (GCC) model has evolved into a multi-sector engine — with India at its core. According to a report by ANSR, about 174 Fortune 500 companies have set up over 390 GCCs across cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Gurugram, employing close to a million people. And the momentum isn’t slowing. A combination of skilled talent, digital maturity and cost efficiency is driving global firms to expand their footprint in India. And the momentum isn’t slowing.

Technology is the cornerstone of India’s GCC landscape. Global majors use Indian centres for R&D, AI, cloud engineering, and product innovation. Microsoft India Development Centre is one of the company’s largest outside the US, leading on Windows, Azure, Office, and AI. Amazon India Development Centre focuses on AWS, logistics, and e-commerce systems. Bosch Global Software Technologies (India) leads on IoT, automotive software, and automation. These centres shape global product strategies and generate intellectual property, driving global value chains.

Similarly, banks and insurance majors see their India GCCs as strategic hubs. Goldman Sachs Services India in Bengaluru drives analytics, quantitative modelling and risk technology. J.P. Morgan Chase India GCC manages financial software, cybersecurity, and global operations. Allstate India combines technology and claims management to drive digital transformation. Industry leaders say this reflects a broader trend: global firms are embedding their India GCCs deeper into decision-making, innovation, and compliance.

Healthcare and life sciences multinationals are also expanding their GCCs in India, attracted by the country’s strong pool of scientific and digital talent. Sanofi has doubled its Hyderabad GCC workforce, strengthening digital and clinical operations. Cardinal Health, Sandoz, and MedExpert have established sizeable operations specialising in clinical data, compliance, and product design. These GCCs are integrating R&D with analytics, using AI and automation to reimagine everything from drug trials to regulatory workflows.

What Sets India’s GCCs Apart

Indian GCCs today demonstrate a remarkable depth of domain and intellectual property, developing and owning end-to-end products and platforms. Talent footprint is another key factor, with many employees leading global functions and driving innovation. Moreover, their strategic integration with global corporate strategies ensures that these centres are not just extensions, but vital contributors to their parent organisations’ growth and transformation.

The next phase of GCC evolution will focus on leadership. Many MNCs are appointing Indian leaders to head global portfolios from within their GCCs, a sign of growing confidence in local expertise. Emerging areas such as semiconductors, AI, sustainability and cybersecurity are expected to see significant GCC activity over the next three years.

From technology and finance to life sciences, India’s GCCs are transforming how global businesses operate. They are creating intellectual property, managing complex risks and driving digital innovation for some of the world’s biggest brands. What started as a cost-arbitrage model has matured into a capability-led ecosystem—positioning India as a co-creator of global innovation, not just a service hub. Today, the next chapter of global business is being written in Bengaluru and Hyderabad.