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13
March
The Quiet Powerhouses: How GCCs in India Are Reshaping Work — and What It Means for You
When Priya walked into her first strategy review meeting with a cross-functional team from New York, she paused.
Not because she felt out of place—but because she realized something had shifted. “I wasn’t just reporting to someone overseas,” she said. “I was leading the discussion.”
A year earlier, she was in a conventional IT services role. Now, she’s a product analyst at a GCC—a Global Capability Center—of a European consumer goods giant, based in Bangalore. She owns the roadmap. She presents to the global C-suite. And she’s still based in India.
Her story isn’t rare anymore. It’s increasingly the norm.
What exactly are GCCs?
GCCs (formerly called GICs – Global In-house Centers) are offshore units of multinational corporations (MNCs) that operate in India to leverage cost efficiencies, talent, and time zones. These centers go beyond support functions—they now drive innovation, strategy, product development, AI, cloud, and cybersecurity for global markets.
India is home to 1,700+ GCCs, employing over 1.6 million professionals. And the numbers are growing!
A Strategic Shift, Not Just a Staffing Move
India’s GCCs have long operated in the background. Quietly efficient. Globally essential. But over the last five years, they’ve undergone a transformation that few predicted, and fewer have fully understood.
According to research by Zinnov and BCG, India now houses over 1,700 GCCs. These aren’t just back-end operations anymore—they are global strategy arms. Product development happens here. Cloud architecture gets defined here. Marketing decisions and customer experiences are designed here.
As one executive from a leading US bank put it:
“We used to outsource for cost. Now we build in India for capability.”
What used to be called a ‘support center’ has become the place where the business is increasingly being shaped.
What’s Driving the Momentum?
It’s not just about access to engineers anymore. India’s workforce has grown more multidisciplinary, more experienced, and more globally fluent.
A recent Deloitte study noted that over 70% of new GCCs in India are focused on digital transformation, innovation, or R&D functions. They’re not just keeping the lights on—they’re moving the needle.
One leader at a multinational healthcare firm summed it up well:
“The teams here don’t wait for instructions. They challenge assumptions. That’s when we knew we had something more than an offshore model.”
What’s also changed is talent expectation. Candidates want purpose. They want roles that combine tech with problem-solving, data with strategy, code with customer outcomes.
So, Who’s Thriving in These Centers?
It’s not just software developers or testers anymore. GCCs today hire across cloud, cybersecurity, AI, product management, ESG analytics, legal, and finance.
What makes someone successful in these environments isn’t just their technical ability. It’s their ability to own, not just execute.
“GCCs want thinkers who can understand context,” says Savi Pabby, Associate Director Employee Relations at Collabera. “You can know AWS or Tableau, but if you can explain how that impacts a retail customer’s experience in France, that’s what sets you apart.”
What It Takes to Break In
Getting hired by a GCC today isn’t about keyword-stuffed resumes or generic interview prep. It’s about understanding what the role means to the business globally, and how you fit into that bigger picture.
The hiring bar is high. Teams are lean. And interviews often include case studies, stakeholder simulation, and alignment with global business values.
That’s why platforms like Collabera have become critical for talent navigating this space.
“We work closely with GCCs across domains—from fintech to energy to consumer brands,” says Savi. “We don’t just forward CVs; we help talent decode what each client truly expects—and coach them through the transition.”
What’s Next?
The future of work is being redefined—not in a boardroom in New York, but in hybrid huddles across Pune, Hyderabad, Noida and other cities of India.
For companies, this is an inflection point. The GCC isn’t a support center—it’s a growth driver.
For candidates, it’s a chance to work at a global scale, without leaving your home city.
One candidate recently shared, “I didn’t have to move abroad to work globally. The work came to me. And it came with real ownership.”
That’s the promise of today’s GCCs. And it’s only getting stronger.
Are You Ready to Take the Next Step?
For Companies Building GCCs:
Collabera partners with leading GCCs to design, scale, and future-proof their teams. If you’re building a center that’s not just operational—but strategic—let’s talk.
For Talent Exploring a Shift:
Whether you’re a data professional, a product thinker, or a cloud architect—if you’re ready for work that has global weight, Collabera can help you get there.
Drop us a mail at gcc.inida@collabera.com to explore opportunities or talk to a consultant.