India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs) recorded a 5–7 per cent increase in hiring during the July–September 2025 quarter, underscoring sustained demand for advanced technology and financial operations expertise. According to the GCC Tech Talent Landscape Q2 FY26 Report by Quess Corp, this growth signals India’s continued shift from back-office delivery to strategic global innovation and analytics leadership.
AI, FinOps, and Platform Roles Lead the Growth
Recruitment in artificial intelligence (AI) and data science grew by nearly 8 per cent, while hiring for FinOps and cloud specialists rose by around 6 per cent. Cybersecurity and platform engineering roles also saw heightened momentum as companies restructured their India operations around digital efficiency, automation, and risk resilience.
Kapil Joshi, CEO – IT Staffing, Quess Corp, said the quarter marks a “strategic phase of capability-led maturity” for India’s GCC sector. “Hiring is now centred on revenue-critical and performance-driven functions—areas that directly influence enterprise competitiveness and business continuity,” he added.
Southern Metros Anchor the Talent Landscape
India’s southern metros—Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai—dominated the quarter’s hiring, contributing more than 60 per cent of total GCC job additions. Bengaluru led with a 26 per cent share, followed by Hyderabad (22 per cent), Pune (15 per cent), and Chennai (12 per cent).
Bengaluru continued to attract deep-tech talent in AI and FinOps, while Hyderabad strengthened its position in multi-cloud integration and data reliability. Pune and Chennai registered steady expansion in automotive software, platform migration, and quality assurance.
Meanwhile, tier-II cities such as Coimbatore, Kochi, and Ahmedabad recorded 8–9 per cent quarter-on-quarter hiring growth, signalling India’s widening geographic spread of digital talent and delivery capacity.
Skill Shortages Highlight Demand–Supply Gaps
The report identifies widening skill shortages across critical areas — AI and data (41 per cent), platform engineering (39 per cent), cloud infrastructure (25 per cent), and cybersecurity (18 per cent). These deficits are lengthening hiring cycles, especially for mid-senior roles in smaller cities, even as demand for digital and product-led skills accelerates.
India’s GCC Ecosystem Poised for 2030 Milestone
With 1,850 active GCCs employing more than two million professionals, India remains the world’s most dynamic GCC hub. The ecosystem is projected to reach 2.5 million jobs by 2030, driven by sectors such as banking and financial services, manufacturing, automotive, energy, and hardware technology.
Industry experts say this sustained momentum reinforces India’s role as a strategic global delivery and innovation powerhouse, offering scale, speed, and depth of talent unmatched across emerging markets.
German Companies Deepen India’s GCC Landscape
Adding to this growth, German enterprises are increasingly expanding their presence in India. More than 150 German GCCs, employing over 130,000 professionals, now operate across digital engineering, sustainability, and Industry 4.0 domains.
Firms like Bosch, Siemens, SAP, Mercedes-Benz, and Deutsche Bank have turned their India hubs into integral parts of global design and R&D ecosystems. A Zinnov report notes that German GCCs are transitioning from delivery units to “co-innovation centres” focused on automotive software, green mobility, and smart manufacturing.
SAP, for example, has announced plans to expand its Indian workforce significantly—expected to outpace its numbers in Germany—illustrating how India’s digital ecosystem is becoming essential to Europe’s industrial transformation.
India at the Centre of the GCC Revolution
As global companies diversify their operations for resilience and innovation, India stands at the crossroads of a new phase of enterprise globalization.
With its unmatched combination of talent depth, cost efficiency, and digital maturity, the country is no longer just a destination for outsourcing — it is now the nerve centre of global capability creation.
From AI and cloud computing to FinOps and green engineering, India’s GCC story is fast evolving into one of strategic leadership, not support — defining the future of global work.
