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Nasdaq-listed data and AI services firm EXL is planning to set up two new delivery centres in tier-2 or tier-3 cities in India this year, as it looks to leverage cost advantages, infrastructure availability and a growing talent pool beyond major metros. CEO Rohit Kapoor said the centres, each expected to house 500-1,000 employees, will be operational in 2026 and are part of the company's broader strategy to align with rising global IT spending on artificial intelligence, infrastructure and cybersecurity. While traditional IT maintenance spending remains under pressure, Kapoor said demand is increasingly shifting towards AI-led workflow transformation and innovation. India continues to be central to EXL's global delivery ecosystem, accounting for nearly three-fourths of its workforce, with strong capabilities in digital operations, data analytics and AI.
Nasdaq-listed Exlservice Holdings is planning to set up two new centres in tier-2 or tier-3 cities in India this year, as the data and artificial intelligence (AI) company looks to tap infrastructure and talent advantages beyond major metros, according to CEO Rohit Kapoor. Advertisement
Kapoor told PTI that the company has already identified a shortlist of cities and is finalising infrastructure and client transition plans. He added that both centres are expected to be operational in 2026, though he declined to disclose the specific locations.
From an infrastructure standpoint, going to tier-2 and tier-3 cities in India will be important for us. We've identified a couple of cities where we want to build new infrastructure and offer services to our clients from those locations,Kapoor said.
Typically, each new centre will target a capacity of around 500-1,000 full-time equivalents, enabling meaningful scale to attract leadership talent and support multiple clients. EXL currently employs close to 45,000 people in India out of a global workforce of over 60,000.
Kapoor said overall global IT spending continues to rise, but allocations have shifted significantly towards AI, infrastructure and cybersecurity, creating opportunities for companies that can pivot away from legacy maintenance-led services. EXL has positioned itself as a data- and AI-centric firm, with digital operations management contributing 44 per cent of revenue and data analytics and AI accounting for the remaining 56 per cent of its nearly USD 2 billion annual revenue.
India remains core to EXL's delivery ecosystem, with strong talent in digital operations, analytics and AI. Kapoor said clients are increasingly seeking AI-driven reimagination of workflows rather than incremental efficiency gains, requiring deeper collaboration between humans and AI systems.
He cited insurance underwriting as an example, where AI tools can significantly cut turnaround times by synthesising data and pre-answering queries, allowing human experts to focus on oversight and judgement.
While AI adoption initially saw hype followed by caution around return on investment, Kapoor said 2026 is likely to see more focused spending on proven use cases, benefiting firms such as EXL. He added that although enterprises are trying to extract greater efficiency from traditional IT spends, investment in AI, infrastructure and cybersecurity is expected to grow steadily over the next decade.
Source - PTI
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