Chief Economic Adviser Venkatramanan Anantha Nageswaran on Thursday, July 9, 2026, said Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are now a major part of the Indian economy.
"Half of the world's GCCs are hosted in India," he noted during the CII GCC Business Summit in New Delhi, adding that "GCCs now contribute close to 2% of GDP."
On the role of GCCs in employment, the CEA said GCC roles keep talent in India, give jobs better than the previous generation. He also stressed that "GCCs are cutting edge, not just low cost support dressed up."
Speaking on the impact of technology, Nageswaran said "Part of the model that GCCs follow has been exposed by AI" and that simple tasks can be easily replicated. However, he added that India is not headed in that direction.
"AI doesn't build, govern itself," he said, and emphasised that "AI doesn't empty this centre, it can raise value.
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On the broader economic outlook, the CEA said outcomes are increasingly getting out of control and whether we hit a landmark within a certain time period is not within our control.
“The current situation means that we should focus only on our efforts,” CEA added.
Last month, N-able Inc. opened a new GCC in Bengaluru to strengthen its footprint in a rapidly expanding cybersecurity market.
The centre will host functions including engineering, product, UX and security operations, with 100+ employees on board. N-able aims to grow the team by 50% or more by 2026.
The move highlights the company's focus on Indian talent as GCCs see a surge in demand for cybersecurity and AI capabilities. Reuters had estimated India's GCC employee base will reach 2.36 million by end-2026.
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