IMS OneWorld

The next phase of GCC growth in India is increasingly defined by functional alignment, workforce sustainability, and long-term operating models. With more than 2,000   Global Capability Centres  employing over 1.9 million professionals and contributing 31.3 million sq. ft. of office leasing in 2025, India’s GCC ecosystem continues to evolve. As the market matures, enterprises are expanding beyond established metro hubs into emerging cities that provide competitive operating costs, access to skilled talent, and greater capacity for scalable growth. This shift reflects a more strategic approach to location selection. Rather than prioritizing cost alone, enterprises are choosing cities based on their ability to support specific business functions, talent requirements, and future expansion plans. For organizations evaluating a GCC in India in 2026, emerging cities present a compelling combination of operational readiness, workforce availability, and long-term scalability. Why Emer...

  Private equity-backed enterprises operate under continuous pressure to generate value at speed. Growth expectations are ambitious, operational efficiency is essential, and leadership teams are expected to scale capabilities without introducing unnecessary complexity. For many portfolio companies, setting up a Global Capability Centre (GCC) in India has become a well-established strategy for accessing skilled talent, enhancing operating leverage, and enabling global expansion. However, as India’s GCC ecosystem continues to evolve, an increasing number of PE-backed enterprises are recognising that traditional metro cities may no longer represent the most effective route to sustainable long-term growth. For many years, cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, and NCR led GCC expansion across India. These locations developed mature ecosystems, attracted significant multinational investment, and became synonymous with offshore delivery excellence. However, the very factor...

Setting up a Global Capability Centre (GCC) in India is one of the most significant strategic decisions a global enterprise can make. Yet before any office is leased or talent strategy is put into motion, one question almost always arises: Which GCC setup model is the right fit? The answer is rarely straightforward. Each operating model comes with its own cost structure, risk profile, implementation timeline, and long-term impact on governance and control. Selecting the wrong model — or simply following the most common approach — can result in years of operational adjustments. This blog explores the five primary GCC setup models in India: Captive, Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), Build-Operate-Assist (BOA), Assisted Build, and Hybrid. It also provides a practical framework to help enterprises determine which model best aligns with their strategic priorities, organisational maturity, and risk tolerance. Why Your GCC Operating Model Is a Strategic Decision, Not a Procurement Choice The ope...