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Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India are witnessing a shift as non-technology sectors such as manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and energy increase investments in operational and innovation hubs. Traditionally led by IT and financial services firms, GCCs are now being adopted by a wider range of industries to manage global processes, digital platforms, and analytics-driven operations. Companies including Bosch, Mercedes-Benz, Walmart, and Novartis have established significant centres in India. Cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune remain key hubs due to their talent base and infrastructure. While IT-led GCCs still account for nearly half of the ecosystem, diversification into sector-led centres is accelerating.
Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India are undergoing a structural shift, with multinational corporations from manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and energy sectors expanding their presence in the past few years to manage global operations, digital transformation, and innovation functions beyond traditional IT services. Advertisement
Historically, GCCs were largely associated with technology-driven organisations and financial services firms, primarily focused on software development, data management, and back-end support for global headquarters. However, as industries increasingly adopt digital and data-led business models, companies are repositioning these centres as integral to core operations rather than support functions.
This transition reflects a broader change in how multinational corporations structure their global operations. GCCs are now being used to manage analytics platforms, intelligent supply chains, and digital products, alongside handling complex business processes. In several instances, these centres are functioning as strategic hubs contributing to enterprise-wide decision-making and product development.
The manufacturing and automobile sectors have been among the early adopters of this expanded GCC model. Companies such as Bosch and Mercedes-Benz have established large engineering and research centres in India, focusing on areas including mobility solutions, embedded systems, and digital manufacturing technologies. These centres are not limited to support roles and are involved in developing solutions deployed across global markets.
Retail and consumer-focused companies are also increasing their reliance on GCCs to manage evolving digital ecosystems. Organisations including Walmart and Target operate large hubs in India that oversee e-commerce platforms, customer engagement systems, and data-driven retail operations, reflecting the sector's shift towards digital integration.
The healthcare and life sciences sectors are similarly expanding their GCC footprint. Firms such as Novartis and Roche are leveraging these centres for clinical data analysis, drug discovery support, and research-driven processes. The increasing use of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics in healthcare has further elevated the role of GCCs in these industries.
India continues to be a preferred destination for such centres, supported by its large pool of engineering and domain-specific talent, operational scale, and established technology ecosystem. Key cities including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune have emerged as major clusters due to their infrastructure and access to skilled professionals.
Despite this diversification, the IT and IT-enabled services segment still accounts for around 49% of the GCC landscape. However, sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, engineering, and consulting are steadily increasing their share, indicating a broadening of the ecosystem.
Alouk Kumar noted that GCCs, which were earlier concentrated in technology and financial services, are now being adopted across multiple industries. He stated that these centres are evolving beyond IT support to become hubs for innovation, digital transformation, and global operations.
The expansion of GCCs into non-technology sectors suggests a shift towards more integrated and industry-led capability centres. As digital transformation continues across sectors, these centres are likely to play a larger role in combining domain expertise with technology capabilities, shaping the next phase of global operations for multinational companies.
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