India is now the epicentre of Global Capability Centers (GCCs), considering more than 50% of these centres are located in the country—a number which is only going to keep growing. One of the key drivers for this is talent.
YourStory, in partnership with specialist staffing firm Xpheno, has captured the framework of talent in Karnataka and mapped it with other constituencies. It unveiled its report, ‘Karnataka GCCs: The Specialist Talent Advantage’, at the inaugural YourStory GCC Summit 2025 held in Bengaluru on Friday.
YourStory Founder and CEO Shradha Sharma said, “GCCs are not just offices; they are crucibles of innovation, strategic thinking, and technological transformation. With over 1,800 GCCs operating in India, employing more than 1.8 million skilled professionals, these centres are redefining what it means to build, innovate, and grow at scale. The numbers tell a compelling story, but what truly sets India apart is the quality of its talent—and Karnataka has been pivotal in this journey.”
The numbers lay out the story of GCCs in India succinctly, especially in the state of Karnataka. India is now host to nearly 50% of GCCs worldwide which currently employ 1.8 million people, and are expected to employ more than 2.6 million by 2030.
GCCs have generated more than $65 billion in export revenues and are set to reach $100-110 billion by 2030. The biggest positive for GCCs in India has been the presence of over 7,000 global roles, which is expected to reach 30,000 by 2030.
Here, Karnataka, and especially Bengaluru, is leading from the front.
Kamal Karanth, Co-Founder, Xpheno, said, “Karnataka is undeniably the GCC Growth Engine for India with 890+ units and 7.5 lakh active workforce.”
Today, the greater Bengaluru region of Karnataka holds nearly 98% of the active experienced talent pool of GCCs but there is notable interest in other locations like Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi, Tumakuru etc.
According to the report, GCCs talent pool accounts for 11% of the total active white-collar talent pool of the state and nearly one-fifth of the experienced talent pool.
Karnataka has an active and accessible white-collar talent base of 68.70 lakh professionals. Here, the talent pool with minimum working experience of one year (41.10 lakh) makes 60% of the active white-collar talent pool.
“Last year, 32,000 people came to Bengaluru, and close to about 14,000 people left Bengaluru from the GCC point. So in that way, about close to 18,000 net current (talent).” Karanth said, talking about Bengaluru’s net positive talent movement during the report’s launch.
Also, the GCCs in Karnataka collectively count 4,100 active senior leaders across different enterprise functions in their ranks, where 94% of this leadership is senior talent holding operational and strategic leadership roles.
“As we look ahead, the role of GCCs in shaping the future of work, innovation, and leadership cannot be overstated. From advancing digital transformation to creating inclusive workspaces, from driving sustainability initiatives to fostering cross-border collaboration, GCCs are not just participants but pioneers of change. And Karnataka, with its unmatched ecosystem, will continue to be at the forefront of this evolution,” Sharma noted.
Edited by Jyoti Narayan
