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GCCs Outpace IT Firms in Tech Job Growth
9 Jun
Summary
- Global capability centers added nearly 200,000 employees in FY26.
- GCCs now account for 30-35% of AI hiring in India.
- GCCs are becoming key hubs for AI, cloud, and product development.
Global capability centers (GCCs) in India have surpassed information technology services firms in net employee additions for three consecutive years, including nearly 200,000 in FY26. This trend highlights a significant shift in how advanced technology talent is being cultivated within India.
GCCs are now central to artificial intelligence hiring, making up 30-35% of all AI-related recruitment. They have emerged as the leading hubs for specialized roles in AI/ML engineering, cloud architecture, and product development.
This expansion signifies that GCCs are evolving beyond mere cost centers; they are actively shaping the development and absorption of critical AI and advanced engineering skills in India.
Global enterprises are restructuring their India operations, with many GCCs gaining independent budgets and signing external agreements, particularly for AI and platform-led initiatives. This decentralization is transforming GCCs into significant buying centers.
The adoption of AI within GCCs is accelerating, with a majority scaling AI initiatives and a substantial portion investing in agentic AI, with more planned within the next year.
While IT services firms remain crucial to India's tech workforce, contributing over 950,000 employees in the last five fiscal years, GCCs have taken the lead in annual net additions over the last three fiscal years. GCCs now represent 25% of the tech sector's headcount, while IT services maintain over 34%.
