AI Now Powers 2 in 3 New GCC Jobs as India’s Capability Centres Race Past 5 Lakh Annual Hiring, Finds Study

India’s global capability centre (GCC) ecosystem is rapidly evolving into an AI-first talent engine, with nearly two in every three new GCC jobs in 2026 requiring artificial intelligence, data science or intelligent automation skills, according to the latest foundit Insights Tracker (fit). The report projects that India’s GCC hiring will surpass 5.1 lakh jobs by the end of 2026, marking the first time annual recruitment crosses the five-lakh milestone and representing a 3.4-fold increase since 2021.

Despite India’s broader white-collar job market remaining subdued—with hiring declining 5% month-on-month and 9% year-on-year in June—GCC recruitment continues to outperform the overall market. India has already recorded 2,27,991 GCC hires in the first half of 2026, an 11% increase over the same period last year, while the number of operational GCCs has grown to approximately 2,120 nationwide.

“Companies are no longer setting up GCCs simply to reduce costs. They are building them to develop the AI, engineering and product capabilities that run their global businesses. India offers the depth of talent to do this at scale, and the growing pull of tier-2 cities shows how far that capability now extends beyond the traditional metros,” said Tarun Sinha, CEO, foundit.

The report highlights AI as the fastest-growing function within GCCs. The share of AI-led roles has increased from just 11% in 2021 to a projected 64% in 2026, with AI, data science and analytics hiring growing 38% year-on-year. Technology and software remain the largest contributors to GCC recruitment, accounting for 35% of all hiring, followed by banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) at 21%. Together, these two sectors contribute 56% of total GCC hiring.

Technology-centric roles continue to dominate recruitment. IT and software development account for 31% of hiring, followed by AI, data science and analytics (18%), engineering and product R&D (16%), and cloud and cybersecurity (11%). 

Collectively, these four functions account for more than three-quarters of all GCC jobs, underscoring the shift from traditional shared-services operations to high-value engineering, AI and product development work.

The demand is strongest for mid-career professionals, with candidates possessing four to 10 years of experience accounting for 56% of total hiring. However, early-career hiring is also gaining momentum, with professionals having up to three years of experience representing 30% of recruitment and recording the fastest growth at 18% year-on-year, supported by the expansion of GCCs into emerging cities.

While Bengaluru continues to dominate GCC hiring with a 30% share, followed by Hyderabad (15%), Pune (12%), Mumbai (11%), Chennai (9%) and Delhi NCR (8%), the report identifies tier-2 cities as the fastest-growing destinations, registering 23% year-on-year growth—almost double the pace of tier-1 metros. Cities such as Coimbatore, Jaipur, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam are increasingly attracting GCC investments in AI, analytics and engineering, driven by strong talent availability and lower attrition rates.

Sector-wise hiring intensity also reveals that BFSI and technology companies continue to recruit above their footprint. BFSI GCCs hire 17% more than their share of centres, while technology and software centres recruit 13% above their presence, reflecting sustained investments in digital transformation and AI capabilities.

The findings reinforce India’s growing role as a global AI innovation hub rather than merely a destination for back-office operations. As multinational companies increasingly establish AI, engineering and product development capabilities through their GCCs, India is emerging as a strategic centre for building next-generation digital businesses powered by artificial intelligence.