Hiring activity across India’s semiconductor design GCC ecosystem is gaining momentum, with demand concentrated in high-skill VLSI and software roles, according to Careernet’s quarterly report, “India’s Semiconductor Design GCC Talent Ecosystem: Talent Demand Analysis (Q1’CY26).”
The report analyses talent demand across the top 50 semiconductor design GCCs in India and indicates a transition from inconsistent hiring patterns to a more structured and phased approach to workforce expansion. The broader ecosystem covered in the study includes 79 semiconductor design GCCs, spanning ~180 GCC units and a workforce of over 110,000 professionals. While nearly 50% of semiconductor GCCs continue to operate in a single-location setup, the overall spread of ~180 units reflects a growing shift towards multi-location operating models, with several organisations scaling across three or more centres in India. Semiconductor design GCCs account for roughly 5% of India’s total GCC landscape and have grown at approximately 7.2% over the past two decades.
Hiring activity shows a gradual build-up after a slower start, with February recording the highest month-on-month increase and March seeing peak open positions. Total open roles stood at 2,426 in January, increasing to 3,077 in February and 3,549 in March.
Commenting on the findings, Neelabh Shukla, Chief Business Officer, Careernet, said, “For years, semiconductor hiring in India was largely led by a handful of large GCCs. What we are seeing now is a shift, small scale and mid-sized centres are stepping up and building teams more proactively, rather than waiting for demand to stabilise. That points to a deeper level of confidence in India’s semiconductor talent base.
There is also a clear geographic split emerging. While strategic decisions continue to be anchored in the Americas, execution is increasingly moving to JAPAC, and within JAPAC, to India. The rise of Hyderabad alongside Bengaluru reflects this shift, as companies expand into newer talent hubs. What has changed is not limited to the volume of hiring; it is the character of it. The volatility seen earlier has given way to more structured, planned ramp-ups, suggesting that GCCs are now hiring with greater clarity and a longer-term view.”
Role distribution remained concentrated in core technical areas. VLSI roles accounted for 37% to 45% of total demand, while system and application software roles contributed 39% to 46%. Business operations and IT infrastructure roles accounted for 10% to 18% of hiring demand.
Hiring trends varied by organisation size. Small scale GCCs (fewer than 1,000 employees) recorded the highest increase in hiring momentum toward the end of the period. Mid-sized GCCs (1,000–5,000 employees) showed steady growth, while large GCCs (over 5,000 employees) saw gradual, lower-variance expansion. By the end of the period, all segments recorded positive hiring movement.
India continues to play a central role in the global semiconductor design GCC model. The country hosts over 79 semiconductor design GCCs, with nearly two-thirds of the talent concentrated in Bengaluru (61%) and Hyderabad (21%). Approximately 70% of semiconductor design GCCs in India are headquartered in the Americas.