How India’s GCC boom could add up to $199 billion to the economy by 2030, Rohan Lobo of Deloitte explains
Deloitte South Asia’s Rohan Lobo on why GCCs today are building intellectual property, designing products, and creating digital platforms that are deployed globally
- Nov 27, 2025,
- Updated Nov 27, 2025 2:44 PM IST
India’s GCC engine is firing on all cylinders. After years of steady expansion, global capability centres (GCC) in the country are now driving AI, product engineering and enterprise innovation for the world’s biggest companies. With a 2.16 million-strong workforce and the potential to reach a $199 billion GVA by 2030, India is no longer just a delivery hub. It is becoming the strategic command centre for global corporations.
In this interaction with Business Today, Rohan Lobo, Partner and GCC Industry leader, Deloitte South Asia, decodes the forces powering this surge and what the next 5-10 years of the GCC story will look like.
Edited excerpts BT: The GCC landscape in India has scaled rapidly in the past few years. How do you see the overall growth trajectory of the sector over the next 5-10 years, both in terms of scale and strategic importance?
Lobo: What’s most striking about India’s GCC story is how quickly it has evolved from scale to strategic depth. The sector today has a strong foundation, with a workforce of 2.16 million and more than 1,800 centres operating across the country. This base gives India a unique springboard for the next decade. By 2030, we expect the sector’s direct GVA to grow to $154-199 billion, supported by a total economic impact that could reach $470-600 billion. But the real shift will be in the kind of work done here. Centres are increasingly taking on global mandates, whether in digital transformation, product engineering or enterprise platforms. India is moving from being a delivery hub to becoming the nerve centre of innovation for multinationals BT: We’ve seen a surge in global firms setting up new centres and expanding existing ones in India. What’s driving this renewed wave of GCC investments, and which sectors are leading the charge?
Lobo: The renewed momentum is coming from the confidence global organisations have in India’s ability to deliver complex, enterprise-grade work. The country’s deep talent pool, strong digital infrastructure and consistent cost advantage make it a natural choice for expansion. At the same time, the ecosystem around GCCs has matured. Policy clarity, a stronger IP framework and a vibrant digital economy give companies the environment they need to build long-term capabilities. Sectors such as BFSI, technology, consumer goods, automotive and healthcare continue to expand their GCC footprint. Many of these industries are now bringing their analytics, AI, and R&D functions into India because they can scale both talent and innovation here BT: How significant is the GCC sector’s contribution to India’s economy at present, and how do you see its role evolving in terms of exports, employment, and innovation-led value creation?
Lobo: GCCs already play a meaningful role in India’s economy, contributing $68 billion in direct GVA and creating a wider economic impact of $182 billion. The sector supports 2.16 million direct jobs and more than 10 million across the broader ecosystem. GCCs today are building intellectual property, designing products, and creating digital platforms that are deployed globally. As this shift deepens, India’s exports will benefit from higher-value digital and innovation-led services. The GCC sector will become one of the key pillars of India’s knowledge economy. BT: Earlier, GCCs were largely focused on back-office and IT support. What percentage of centres today are engaged in high-value functions like product engineering, data analytics, and AI-led innovation? And how fast is this mix changing?
Lobo: The nature of work inside India’s GCCs has transformed significantly. A decade ago, most centres were focused on IT and operational support. Today, nearly 90% have embedded engineering, R&D or digital innovation capabilities. We also see more than 200 GCCs hosting dedicated AI Centres of Excellence, an indication of how quickly organisations are scaling advanced technologies from India. This shift marks an important transition. GCCs are no longer extensions of global teams; they are co-creators of products, platforms and solutions. BT: Many GCCs are now moving beyond Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune into tier-II cities. What’s driving this geographical shift, and how do you see the regional distribution evolving in the coming years?
Lobo: India’s GCC growth is entering a new phase defined by geographic decentralisation. While about 95% of GCCs are currently located in six Tier-1 cities, Tier-2/3 cities are rapidly emerging as credible alternatives. Between FY 2019 and FY 2024, GCC presence in these cities grew by 1.4×, with 6% of new centres launched in smaller hubs such as Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Kochi, Indore, Jaipur, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, and Visakhapatnam. The shift is driven by four factors: expanding local talent pools, up to 50% lower real estate and living costs, improved infrastructure, and growing state-level incentives. Over the coming years, India’s GCC landscape will evolve into a multi-city network balancing efficiency, inclusivity, and resilience. BT: Other emerging markets are also attracting global capability centres. What’s helping India maintain its leadership, and what could threaten that edge?
Lobo: The country produces some of the largest STEM talent pools globally, has a highly developed digital backbone and hosts a mature innovation ecosystem. This gives organisations the confidence to build not just teams, but enterprise-critical functions here. To maintain this edge, India will need to continue strengthening next-generation skills, ensure regulatory agility and maintain cost competitiveness. Sustained investment in talent and innovation will be key to staying ahead BT: Talent availability remains India’s strongest moat. But as GCCs move into deep-tech areas like AI, digital twins, and cybersecurity, are we facing any skill gaps? How are organisations addressing them?
Lobo: India’s talent advantage is one of the strongest reasons GCCs choose this market. However, as the work shifts towards AI, cybersecurity, digital twins and advanced engineering, the demand for specialised skills is growing. Organisations are addressing this through structured upskilling programmes, partnerships with academia and start-ups, and expanded investments in internal innovation labs. Many GCCs are also setting up Centres of Excellence focused on AI, cloud and automation to build capabilities at scale. The focus now is on developing talent that can drive global innovation and not just delivery BT: By 2030, there are projections that the country could host over 2,000 GCCs employing several million people. What do you think the next phase of the GCC story will look like: more scale, more innovation, or more global decision-making from India?
Lobo: The next phase of India’s GCC story will be defined by scale, sophistication, and strategic influence. By 2030, the sector could generate up to $199 billion in direct GVA and 20-25 million jobs, cementing its status as a key pillar of India’s knowledge-driven economy. More importantly, GCCs in India are evolving into global enterprise hubs of resilience and digital acceleration driving AI-first operations, R&D, and sustainability-aligned innovation. The future will see India not just as the execution engine but as the strategic command centre for global enterprises, where decisions, design, and innovation originate.
India’s GCC engine is firing on all cylinders. After years of steady expansion, global capability centres (GCC) in the country are now driving AI, product engineering and enterprise innovation for the world’s biggest companies. With a 2.16 million-strong workforce and the potential to reach a $199 billion GVA by 2030, India is no longer just a delivery hub. It is becoming the strategic command centre for global corporations.
In this interaction with Business Today, Rohan Lobo, Partner and GCC Industry leader, Deloitte South Asia, decodes the forces powering this surge and what the next 5-10 years of the GCC story will look like.
Edited excerpts BT: The GCC landscape in India has scaled rapidly in the past few years. How do you see the overall growth trajectory of the sector over the next 5-10 years, both in terms of scale and strategic importance?
Lobo: What’s most striking about India’s GCC story is how quickly it has evolved from scale to strategic depth. The sector today has a strong foundation, with a workforce of 2.16 million and more than 1,800 centres operating across the country. This base gives India a unique springboard for the next decade. By 2030, we expect the sector’s direct GVA to grow to $154-199 billion, supported by a total economic impact that could reach $470-600 billion. But the real shift will be in the kind of work done here. Centres are increasingly taking on global mandates, whether in digital transformation, product engineering or enterprise platforms. India is moving from being a delivery hub to becoming the nerve centre of innovation for multinationals BT: We’ve seen a surge in global firms setting up new centres and expanding existing ones in India. What’s driving this renewed wave of GCC investments, and which sectors are leading the charge?
Lobo: The renewed momentum is coming from the confidence global organisations have in India’s ability to deliver complex, enterprise-grade work. The country’s deep talent pool, strong digital infrastructure and consistent cost advantage make it a natural choice for expansion. At the same time, the ecosystem around GCCs has matured. Policy clarity, a stronger IP framework and a vibrant digital economy give companies the environment they need to build long-term capabilities. Sectors such as BFSI, technology, consumer goods, automotive and healthcare continue to expand their GCC footprint. Many of these industries are now bringing their analytics, AI, and R&D functions into India because they can scale both talent and innovation here BT: How significant is the GCC sector’s contribution to India’s economy at present, and how do you see its role evolving in terms of exports, employment, and innovation-led value creation?
Lobo: GCCs already play a meaningful role in India’s economy, contributing $68 billion in direct GVA and creating a wider economic impact of $182 billion. The sector supports 2.16 million direct jobs and more than 10 million across the broader ecosystem. GCCs today are building intellectual property, designing products, and creating digital platforms that are deployed globally. As this shift deepens, India’s exports will benefit from higher-value digital and innovation-led services. The GCC sector will become one of the key pillars of India’s knowledge economy. BT: Earlier, GCCs were largely focused on back-office and IT support. What percentage of centres today are engaged in high-value functions like product engineering, data analytics, and AI-led innovation? And how fast is this mix changing?
Lobo: The nature of work inside India’s GCCs has transformed significantly. A decade ago, most centres were focused on IT and operational support. Today, nearly 90% have embedded engineering, R&D or digital innovation capabilities. We also see more than 200 GCCs hosting dedicated AI Centres of Excellence, an indication of how quickly organisations are scaling advanced technologies from India. This shift marks an important transition. GCCs are no longer extensions of global teams; they are co-creators of products, platforms and solutions. BT: Many GCCs are now moving beyond Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune into tier-II cities. What’s driving this geographical shift, and how do you see the regional distribution evolving in the coming years?
Lobo: India’s GCC growth is entering a new phase defined by geographic decentralisation. While about 95% of GCCs are currently located in six Tier-1 cities, Tier-2/3 cities are rapidly emerging as credible alternatives. Between FY 2019 and FY 2024, GCC presence in these cities grew by 1.4×, with 6% of new centres launched in smaller hubs such as Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Kochi, Indore, Jaipur, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, and Visakhapatnam. The shift is driven by four factors: expanding local talent pools, up to 50% lower real estate and living costs, improved infrastructure, and growing state-level incentives. Over the coming years, India’s GCC landscape will evolve into a multi-city network balancing efficiency, inclusivity, and resilience. BT: Other emerging markets are also attracting global capability centres. What’s helping India maintain its leadership, and what could threaten that edge?
Lobo: The country produces some of the largest STEM talent pools globally, has a highly developed digital backbone and hosts a mature innovation ecosystem. This gives organisations the confidence to build not just teams, but enterprise-critical functions here. To maintain this edge, India will need to continue strengthening next-generation skills, ensure regulatory agility and maintain cost competitiveness. Sustained investment in talent and innovation will be key to staying ahead BT: Talent availability remains India’s strongest moat. But as GCCs move into deep-tech areas like AI, digital twins, and cybersecurity, are we facing any skill gaps? How are organisations addressing them?
Lobo: India’s talent advantage is one of the strongest reasons GCCs choose this market. However, as the work shifts towards AI, cybersecurity, digital twins and advanced engineering, the demand for specialised skills is growing. Organisations are addressing this through structured upskilling programmes, partnerships with academia and start-ups, and expanded investments in internal innovation labs. Many GCCs are also setting up Centres of Excellence focused on AI, cloud and automation to build capabilities at scale. The focus now is on developing talent that can drive global innovation and not just delivery BT: By 2030, there are projections that the country could host over 2,000 GCCs employing several million people. What do you think the next phase of the GCC story will look like: more scale, more innovation, or more global decision-making from India?
Lobo: The next phase of India’s GCC story will be defined by scale, sophistication, and strategic influence. By 2030, the sector could generate up to $199 billion in direct GVA and 20-25 million jobs, cementing its status as a key pillar of India’s knowledge-driven economy. More importantly, GCCs in India are evolving into global enterprise hubs of resilience and digital acceleration driving AI-first operations, R&D, and sustainability-aligned innovation. The future will see India not just as the execution engine but as the strategic command centre for global enterprises, where decisions, design, and innovation originate.