The Top 5 Reasons Fortune 1000 Companies Are Expanding Their Talent Strategies to India in 2025
- Samantha McManus
- May 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 12
As companies strive to accelerate innovation while managing costs and complexity, one strategy continues to stand out in 2025: expanding global talent strategies through Global Capability Centers (GCCs).
For CIOs and technology leaders, the challenges are clear: how do you scale quickly without sacrificing quality? How do you find—and retain—the specialized tech talent needed to drive or scale your technology initiatives? Increasingly, GCCs are becoming the answer.
Once viewed primarily as cost-saving back-office hubs, today’s GCCs have evolved into integrated innovation engines— driving disruptive growth imperatives for parent companies through GenAI led strategies, driving digital transformations, product development, and enterprise-wide agility. For organizations seeking a cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable approach to global growth while not missing on the AI driven modernization to stay relevant, GCCs offer a proven and financial advantage.
Interest in building GCCs is growing rapidly among Fortune 1000 CIOs and technology executives. Here are the top five reasons why.
AI and Digital Maturity
India's GCC ecosystem is leading the global charge on AI, machine learning (ML), and data science adoption. According to Deloitte’s State of AI in India report, GCCs have moved from experimentation to enterprise-wide transformation, applying Gen AI across:
HR & workforce automation
Finance and compliance
Cybersecurity operations
Customer experience management
Supply chain optimization
By expanding to India, companies gain immediate access to this digitally mature, AI-literate ecosystem—enabling them to fast-track transformation programs and future-proof operations.
Deep Access to High Quality Digital Talent
India boasts over 1.5 million new STEM graduates annually, and more than 1.9 million professionals currently working in GCCs. This massive, growing, and AI-skilled workforce gives companies access to:
Deep Gen AI and Agentic AI talent
AI/ML Centers of Excellence across major cities
Domain-specific expertise in BFSI, healthcare, and life sciences
Agile, product-oriented engineering mindsets
“With depth and diversity of ready to use GenAI & Agentic AI skilled tech talent availability at scale, India is coding the future. It’s not just about technical expertise—it’s about the mindset, agility, and innovation capabilities that this talent is bringing to the table. For companies looking to build new code of innovative products and transformations leveraging globally integrated teams, the opportunity to tap into India’s top-notch talent has never been more strategic,” said Ananth Rudravaram, VP of Technology and Managing Director, SMC Squared.
Whether it’s AI, data science, cybersecurity, or full-stack development, teams in India are not only executing core services—they’re helping lead the charge in enterprise innovation. The growing presence of AI/ML Centers of Excellence across India that are researching AGI and productizing GenAI & Agentic AI based offerings further reinforces the country’s role as a digital-first talent ecosystem.
Cost Efficiency Without Compromising Quality
Cost matters—but in 2025, value matters more.
Operating a GCC in India enables average savings of 40–45% in per-employee cost compared to U.S. operations, without losing access to premium talent or control. This lower total cost of ownership (TCO) frees up budget for:
Innovation investments
AI adoption
Product accelerators
Organizational agility programs
“The cost advantages of building a GCC in India are significant—and we see it firsthand with our clients. On average, our clients experience 42% cost savings compared to scaling teams in the U.S. or reaching to high-cost consulting alternatives, while gaining access to deep, high-quality talent pools. But it's not just about saving money—it's about reinvesting those savings into innovation, digital initiatives, and strategic growth," said Patricia Connolly, CEO and Founding Partner of SMC Squared.
India’s GCCs Are Innovation Hubs
Modern Global Capability Centers are now embedded into their parent organizations’ product roadmaps, digital strategy, and AI pipelines. Over 90% operate in cross-functional roles across:
R&D and product innovation
Technology modernization
Automation and business transformation
Platform engineering and DevSecOps
By leveraging India’s innovation infrastructure, global firms unlock faster time-to-market and sustained differentiation.
Scalable, Future-Ready Operations
India’s GCC ecosystem is not just mature—it’s resilient and future-ready. Companies can scale teams rapidly across:
Gen AI and Agentic AI talent hubs
Cloud-native architecture practices
Cybersecurity command centers
Customer-centric design capabilities
