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India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are becoming nerve centres for AI innovation, helping shape enterprise technology strategies and redefining India’s role in the digital economy. 

Recent research suggests that nearly 45% of work within Indian GCCs now falls into “expertise” or “frontier” categories, marking a significant rise over the past decade. This transition reflects a move away from commoditised tasks now reduced to under 20% towards high-value, innovation-led work that increasingly mirrors headquarters-level responsibilities.

At the heart of this evolution is AI. GCCs are co-creating AI products, platforms and solutions alongside global teams. This co-creation model is driven by India’s unique convergence of talent, digital infrastructure, and a thriving start-up ecosystem. Another analysis highlights that the GCCs are increasingly leveraging deep engineering talent to build scalable AI systems and contribute to enterprise-wide transformation.

The implications are significant. Enterprises are progressively entrusting Indian GCCs with end-to-end ownership of products and platforms, reflected in the rise of “portfolio hubs” centres that hold global mandates and lead innovation charters. According to a management consulting blog, this marks a departure from earlier models in which GCCs primarily executed predefined processes. Today, they are shaping product roadmaps, embedding AI into core business functions, and accelerating time-to-market.

However, this transformation is not without urgency. According to a report by Zinnov over 55% of current GCC work is susceptible to AI-driven disruption, particularly in procedural roles. The window for reinvention is narrowing as AI compresses the lifecycle from expertise to automation into a single product cycle. For GCCs, the imperative is clear: evolve rapidly to stay ahead of displacement.

To navigate this shift, organisations are investing in cross-disciplinary teams that combine domain expertise with AI and data capabilities. The focus is shifting from incremental efficiency gains to solving complex, high-impact business problems, an approach that defines true co-creation.

Ultimately, India’s GCC story shouldn’t be limited to scale; it should also consider ownership, innovation, and global impact. As enterprises rethink where and how AI capabilities are built, Indian GCCs are positioning themselves not merely as participants but as co-authors of the AI-driven future.