GCCs play an strategic role in business transformation as enterprises tackle their dual challenges of digital acceleration and global resilience. Global Capability Centers (GCCs) function as essential drivers that propel enterprise innovation alongside operational excellence and digital acceleration. The evolution demonstrates how global organizations now approach scale and competitive differentiation through agility.
The GCC landscape has undergone substantial development in India through its 1,700+ operational GCC centers that employ around 1.9 million professionals.
The NASSCOM report shows India’s GCCs generated $64.6 billion in revenue during FY24 while predicting $99 billion in revenue by 2030. The role of GCCs in business transformation plays a crucial role through their activities in digital product development and cloud infrastructure and enterprise automation.
The modern GCC setup in India emphasizes scale, talent acquisition, and operational agility. Models such as Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) and GCC-as-a-service have become mainstream approaches to mitigate risk and accelerate setup timelines.
India’s Position as a Strategic GCC Hub
India remains a preferred destination for GCCs due to its abundant talent pool and supportive regulatory framework:
The presence of specialized GCC consulting firms further facilitates efficient and future-proof center establishment and growth. This ecosystem enables organizations to rapidly scale digital capabilities while maintaining alignment with global standards.
Advancing Best-Sourcing Strategies
A defining aspect of the role of GCCs in business transformation is their ability to adopt best-sourcing strategies that integrate in-house strategic operations with externally sourced specialized services. These approaches enable:
Emerging Challenges: Talent, Compliance, and Equity
Despite their growing relevance, GCCs face certain challenges that organizations must proactively address:
Recognizing and mitigating these risks is essential to ensuring the long-term value and strategic viability of any GCC setup in India.
GCC Maturity Framework: From Efficiency to Innovation
To understand the journey of a typical Global Capability Center, organizations can use the following four-stage maturity model:
Maturity Stage | Core Focus | Capability Characteristics |
Stage 1: Foundational | Cost arbitrage, support | Process standardization, basic shared services |
Stage 2: Operational | Delivery excellence | Scalable operations, KPI ownership |
Stage 3: Strategic | Value creation | Product ownership, CoEs, P&L contribution |
Stage 4: Transformational | Enterprise innovation | AI/ML leadership, Global role mobility, ESG mandates |
This model helps enterprises assess current maturity and plan strategic initiatives toward higher value realization.
Strategic Imperative for Global Enterprises
The role of GCCs in business transformation has evolved into a foundational pillar of global enterprise strategy. From leading AI integration to driving ESG compliance, GCCs are central to future-proofing business operations.
India’s robust ecosystem, comprising top-tier talent, infrastructure readiness, and capable GCC consulting partners, continues to position the country as the premier destination for establishing and scaling Global Capability Centers. Whether launching a new GCC in India or expanding an existing one, aligning with the right model and strategic partner is essential.
Recognizing the role of GCCs in business transformation is no longer optional. It represents a decisive step toward achieving sustained competitive advantage, operational resilience, and global innovation leadership.
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