Global Capability Centres are booming, but winning the talent game needs more than scale

by Arindam Sengupta| Published on July 16th, 2025

While most of us in the industry are familiar with Global Capability Centers (GCCs), it helps to restate their strategic role. GCCs are offshore hubs set up by global enterprises to drive critical business functions such as tech, analytics, finance, and innovation from locations like India. Once seen as back offices, they have now evolved into powerful engines of global transformation.

India is no longer just a cost-effective delivery hub. It has quietly become the engine room of global innovation and digital transformation. And leading this shift are Global Capability Centers. These are not backend support shops. They are strategic anchors for enterprise-wide change.

Over the last few years, companies from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland have rapidly expanded their GCC footprint in India. According to a report by tech industry body Nasscom with management consulting firm Zinnov, more than 70% of Fortune 500 companies are expected to set up or scale operations here by the end of the decade. In fiscal year 25 alone, GCCs added more than 100,000 Jobs, far outpacing the combined hiring of the country’s top five IT services firms. The momentum is hard to miss.

But this is no longer about cost savings. It is about capability. GCCs are driving global mandates in AI, data science, cybersecurity, cloud engineering, fintech, product development, and sustainability. They are building digital platforms, shaping customer journeys, and powering enterprise tech from the inside. This is not outsourcing. This is ownership.

What is more interesting than scale, though, is the way GCCs are changing how recruitment works in India. They are not following the old playbook. They are writing their own. Talent acquisition here is no longer about filling roles. It is a brand-led, skill-focused, experience driven journey. Degrees and job titles are giving way to portfolios, practical assessments, and peer evaluations. Speed matters. Story matters. Skill matters.

So does context.

India today has one of the youngest workforces in the world. Most job seekers are under 30. They are not just evaluating what you offer; they are evaluating who you are. What is your mission? What does growth look like? What will they learn? Who are they working with? They want purpose, flexibility, and proof that you are serious about people, not just process.

The average Indian tech professional has multiple offers on the table. Which means attention is hard to earn, and trust even harder to build. Pay is important, but it is not everything. This generation wants visibility, mentorship, learning paths, hybrid work, and leaders who show up. They want to be seen not as resources, but as contributors.

That is where many new GCCs struggle. Especially those that are not consumer brands or known tech players. You might have the projects. You might have the culture. But if you are not telling that story well, you are invisible. And in a market already filled with names like JP Morgan, SAP Labs, Walmart Global Tech, and Microsoft India, that invisibility costs you talent.

It gets even more nuanced when you stop seeing India as a single market. Every city behaves differently, not just in talent density, but in industry DNA.

Bengaluru is the heart of deep tech, product engineering, and startup energy. It attracts software specialists, cloud architects, and platform teams who expect agility, innovation, and purpose.

Hyderabad blends strong technology talent with a deep bench in life sciences, pharmaceuticals, biotech, and healthcare tech. It has become a magnet for GCCs in healthcare, medtech, and infrastructure.

Chennai is rooted in manufacturing, automotive, and industrial engineering. It offers process excellence, domain depth, and a workforce that values long term career paths.

Pune balances manufacturing and digital finance, with a growing presence in engineering design, fintech, and automation.

NCR (New Delhi, Gurugram, & Noida) brings scale across consulting, telecom, real estate, and regulatory roles, but comes with high churn and intense salary competition.

These top-tier cities offer talent depth, but each one requires a different employer story, different role positioning, and a different rhythm of engagement.

Then there is a new wave rising.

Tier 2 cities like Kochi, Coimbatore, Indore, and Jaipur are quickly becoming serious options for GCC expansion. The reasons are clear. These cities offer access to a growing pool of skilled graduates from engineering and tech institutes, a significantly lower cost of talent and operations, and improving physical and digital infrastructure. Several state governments are actively courting GCCs with policy incentives, SEZ support, and training subsidies. Kochi, for example, is emerging as a tech and startup hub in Kerala, while Coimbatore has long been a stronghold for engineering and IT services, with deep linkages to the manufacturing sector. The talent is motivated, cost-effective, and more likely to stay long term, but the expectations are different. They want training, visibility, and cultural integration.

What works in Bengaluru will not work in Bhubaneswar. Success lies in understanding each market for what it is and adapting your approach accordingly.

At Havas People, we know this space because we work in it every day. We are deeply embedded in India’s talent landscape, and we partner with global organizations to help their GCCs land right and scale fast. From strategy to storytelling, from creative campaigns to data-driven media, we deliver end-to-end solutions that position your employer brand where it matters most.

India is full of opportunity. But the talent competition is real. And in a market where story is strategy and perception is pipeline, how you position your employer brand makes all the difference.

Let Havas People guide you in building a brand that not only speaks to India’s diverse talent pools but also cuts through the noise and stands out. Contact us to start building your employer brand for the future