06-07-2025
Why Global Capability Centers are the enterprise backbone of 2030
As digital transformation accelerates and enterprises rethink resilience, one strategic trend is rapidly redefining the global operations landscape: Global Capability Centers (GCCs). Originally conceived as offshore cost-saving hubs, GCCs have transformed into centers of innovation, analytics, and enterprise-wide capability building.
Today, over 1,750 GCCs operate in India, employing 1.9 million professionals and generating more than $64.6 billion in annual revenue. By 2030, these numbers are projected to surge to 2,100–2,200 centers, 2.5–2.8 million employees, and $99-105 billion in revenue. India's technology-rich ecosystem and skilled STEM workforce continue to make it a magnet for GCCs worldwide.
'GCCs are uniquely positioned at the intersection of capability, cost, and control, making them critical assets for companies navigating digital disruption and global volatility,' Sudeep Krishna Co-Founder & President, Healthark Insights, told The Hans India. Sudeep has over 20 years of experience in strategy consulting, most recently serving as Managing Director and Strategy Practice Leader at Monitor Deloitte. He has led numerous global engagements across the bio-pharma and medtech sectors, including work with both J&J Medical and J&J Pharma in SEA, India, and the US.
Why the Urgency Now?
The need for GCCs has become more urgent than ever. The combination of supply chain disruptions, AI-enabled transformation, and the imperative to optimize cost with control is prompting global firms to look beyond traditional outsourcing.
India's advantage lies not just in cost - it's in capability. With over 1.5 million engineering graduates annually, the country is fast becoming the world's preferred destination for digital, data, and deep-tech operations. A case in point: an Ohio-based rubber and tire company is setting up its GCC in Hyderabad, with plans to recruit 300 professionals for IT and R&D in 2025.
Meanwhile, companies like Best Buy have achieved a 15 per cent reduction in stock holding costs through analytics-driven optimization executed from their Indian GCC. Walmart Global Tech India, which started as a support center, is now a driver of AI, cloud, and data innovation- underscoring the shift from cost centers to strategic assets.
From support hubs to innovation engines
A modern GCC does far more than transactional work. Enterprises are turning to GCCs for AI/ML, R&D, cloud engineering, product development, risk analytics, and even global employer branding.
Lowe's India GCC, for example, has evolved into a core digital hub, leading global work streams in omnichannel retail tech, product engineering, and machine learning. Similarly, Goldman Sachs Services India supports end-to-end enterprise functions from cloud engineering and internal audit to AI-driven investment platforms.
Core Functions of a modern GCC:
•Technology & Engineering: DevOps, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure
•Finance & Risk: FP&A, compliance, real-time treasury integration
•R&D: Product prototyping, quantum computing, 5G
•HR: L&D, talent analytics, onboarding systems
•Data & Analytics: Predictive modeling, AI dashboards, decision intelligence
This value chain integration is making GCCs central to global enterprises' long-term strategy—not just as delivery arms, but as strategic innovation nodes.
COCO vs. COPO: The Operating Model Debate
GCCs primarily operate under two models:
•Company Owned, Company Operated (COCO): Offers full ownership and strategic alignment. Microsoft IDC, established in 1998, is a COCO model that directly drives core development for Windows, Office, and Cloud under Microsoft's global leadership.
•Company Owned, Partner Operated (COPO): Allows companies to retain control while outsourcing operations to local experts. Reveleer, a U.S.-based health tech firm, recently launched its Chennai GCC under this hybrid model—balancing IP security with operational agility.
'These operating models aren't just structural choices,' said Sudeep Krishna. 'They reflect how committed an enterprise is to embedding long-term capability, governance, and strategic alignment within its global footprint,' he added.
Looking Ahead
Global Capability Centers are no longer a tactical decision—they are a strategic imperative. As businesses grapple with talent gaps, AI integration, cost pressures, and geopolitical uncertainty, GCCs offer a future-proof model. Whether it's to build resilience, scale innovation, or enable data-driven decision-making, GCCs offer a rare trifecta: cost efficiency, capability enhancement, and enterprise control. And as India anchors its position as a global innovation partner, GCCs will only become more central to how the world's leading companies operate.
(This article is a joint initiative of World Trade Center Shamshabad & Future City and Healthark Insights, as part of a knowledge series supporting Telangana's aspiration to become a $1 trillion economy)
