NTT DATA, in collaboration with The Mainstream, has released the India Global Capability Centre (GCC) Innovation Transformation Report 2025, outlining how India’s GCC ecosystem is transitioning from cost-centric delivery centres to AI-led global innovation hubs. The report was unveiled at the GCC Converge Summit, Bengaluru Edition.
Based on insights from over 250 GCC leaders and practitioners across major Indian hubs, the study highlights a structural shift in how GCCs contribute to enterprise value, innovation ownership and leadership development.
GCCs move from efficiency to innovation ownership.
According to the report, nearly 40% of India’s GCCs have already evolved into innovation hubs, driving digital modernisation, product co-creation and customer experience design. The emphasis is now shifting towards standardising innovation ROI and value measurement to align experimentation with enterprise outcomes.
AI has emerged as the primary differentiator, with over 45% of GCCs actively deploying AI within core processes. However, adoption maturity varies evenly across four stages-exploration, piloting, functional integration and enterprise-scale deployment; indicating that while momentum is strong, transformation depth differs across organisations.
Talent and leadership remain critical constraints.
Despite India’s deep talent pool, the report identifies a gap in end-to-end outcome ownership, with 42% of GCCs citing shortages in specialised deep-tech skills. This has prompted a renewed focus on leadership capability building, with over 70% of GCCs actively working to strengthen local leadership pipelines. Around 42% have formal leadership development programmes, while others rely on structured mentorship models.
The report also notes a growing emphasis on ESG alignment, green operations and responsible AI, signalling that innovation mandates are increasingly tied to purpose and sustainability alongside performance.
India currently hosts nearly 2,000 GCCs employing close to two million professionals, spanning technology, engineering, BFSI, manufacturing and consulting. Over the past decade, these centres have evolved from operational support units into strategic engines for global enterprises.
Policy and industry perspectives
Commenting on the report, Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, noted that GCCs are playing a critical role in strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem by driving advanced technologies, high-value talent development and global competitiveness.
Khushbu Soni, Co-Founder and CEO, The Mainstream said the report captures the mindset required to build global-scale innovation hubs, drawing from leadership dialogue rather than surface-level metrics alone.
Avinash Joshi, Executive Managing Director, India, NTT DATA, highlighted that India’s GCCs are at an inflection point, with AI accelerating their shift into global innovation centres capable of shaping enterprise and societal outcomes.
Research approach
The report combines quantitative survey data, in-depth executive interviews, leadership roundtables, and secondary research. Insights were drawn from stakeholders across technology, HR, finance and procurement functions, ensuring a multi-dimensional view of GCC transformation priorities, challenges and opportunities.
The findings point to a clear trajectory: GCCs that embed AI into core business processes, invest in leadership capability, and align innovation with measurable outcomes are increasingly positioned as global centres of excellence, rather than regional support units.