Strong hiring momentum seen in the GCC space in India
There has been a strong hiring momentum in India’s Global Capability Centers (GCC) space, particularly driven by the ongoing wave of digital transformation and rapid AI adoption.
India is currently home to over 1,800 GCCs, accounting for more than 50 percent of the global market share and tier-2 and tier-3 cities are fast emerging as new GCC hotspots. In the GCC ecosystem, firms are continuing their growth trajectory and fresh hiring trends are evolving, with a strong focus on young talent and diversity.
According to 'India’s Talent Takeoff-The GCC 4.0 story' report, 64 per cent of GCCs anticipate a 1–20 percent increase in fresher hiring, ensuring a strategic expansion aligned with business needs in 2025. Meanwhile, 9 percent anticipate a surge of over 50 percent, signaling a future where freshers play a pivotal role in driving GCC innovation and growth.
As GCCs expand globally, with digital transformation and automation at the forefront, the demand for young talent is set to rise sharply in the coming years.
Findings by ANSR research state that GCCs in 2020 added around 40-50,000 additional workforce but in 2025, GCCs are expected to hire over 1.2 lakh professionals. The research points out that there were only 1320 GCCs in India in 2020 but in 2025 there are over 1800 plus GCCs in the country.
The ANSR research says that GCCs are no longer just cost centers but now drive innovation, own products, and influence global roadmaps. At the same time, GCCs have expanded into non-traditional areas like ESG, innovation, and digital product strategy. It also points out that now GCCs are attracting high-caliber, business-driven talent and doubling down on innovation to meet enterprise objectives.
As per Milind Shah, Managing Director of Randstad Digital in India, GCCs are increasingly focused on building in-house digital capabilities, which is translating into a surge in demand for roles across AI/ML, data science, cybersecurity and cloud engineering. These specialised roles are not only mission-critical but also command 15–20 percent higher compensation due to the niche expertise required and the ongoing talent crunch.
Shah points out that in 2025, there has been a clear and notable shift in the kind of digital skills GCCs are hiring for, primarily moving away from legacy technologies towards AI model training, advanced data analytics and trust and advanced cloud computing.
“Mature GCCs are also investing in the future by actively hiring fresh graduates, building a robust talent pipeline to support innovation. Looking ahead, the hiring outlook for the next 6–12 months remains positive, particularly in emerging tech domains, although there is a note of caution driven by global macroeconomic factors like inflation and geopolitical developments. That said, the imperative to drive innovation, own high-end tech capabilities in-house, and create meaningful career pathways will continue to shape India’s leadership in the global GCC landscape,” remarked Shah.
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