How India’s GCCs Are Reinventing Value: The Rise of Non‑IT Capabilities

India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs) have matured beyond cost‑arbitrage hubs. The next phase is defined by a surge in non‑IT roles—finance, analytics, marketing, operations and commercial services. India’s GCC ecosystem is now driving strategic impact for global headquarters using diverse, value‑creating capabilities.

The Transformation: From Back‑Office to Brain Trust

India now hosts over 1,700 GCCs employing more than 1.7 million professionals across functions. Over the last five years, GCCs have consistently delivered double‑digit value growth to parent firms. This growth reflects a conscious shift: GCCs are no longer just outsourcing hubs—they are evolving into innovation engines. A major driver of this evolution is the rise of non‑IT talent taking on high‑impact functions.

Why Non‑IT Functions Are Leading the Next Wave

1. Analytics, AI, and Data Science Driving Global Insights
Combined data and product roles now account for a significant share of GCC job openings. Companies across sectors are expanding analytics and data science teams to build predictive models, implement automation, and lead digital transformation. In retail, healthcare, and consumer sectors, AI‑powered analytics and predictive modeling have become core to decision‑making and market expansion.

2. Finance, Compliance and Shared Services Maturing at Scale
Finance GCCs in India now manage complex global functions—FP&A, treasury management, tax, and compliance—alongside HR, payroll, and legal operations. These roles are increasingly strategic, integrating financial analytics with global reporting and regulatory adherence.

3. Commercial and Marketing Teams Anchored in India
Pharma, consumer, and retail companies are increasingly placing commercial operations, market analytics, regulatory compliance, and digital marketing support roles in their India‑based GCCs. These teams provide insights and enable faster, data‑driven decision‑making for global headquarters.

4. Operations, Supply Chain & Process Excellence
Beyond IT, many GCCs now support global supply chains and operational efficiency initiatives. From logistics coordination to process excellence, non‑IT roles are helping multinational firms co‑innovate, improve efficiency, and reduce time to market.

What’s Driving This Non‑IT Shift?

India’s talent pool is expanding beyond software engineering to include highly skilled professionals in finance, analytics, marketing, and supply chain. As global headquarters push for GCCs to serve as strategic extensions rather than execution hubs, demand for cross‑functional, business‑critical roles has grown.

Government incentives in emerging tech hubs and the cost‑efficiency of non‑IT talent further reinforce this momentum. Strategic value now outweighs pure cost savings, with non‑IT roles delivering direct business impact.

Framework: Scaling Non‑IT Roles in an India GCC

Enterprises scaling non‑IT capabilities in India can follow a four‑stage approach:

Stage 1: Foundation – Shared Services & Central Processing
Begin with finance SSCs, HR, legal, and procurement. Standardize processes and establish global SLAs.

Stage 2: Analytics & Insight Layer
Build data science and business intelligence teams. Integrate marketing, supply chain, and finance data to generate actionable insights.

Stage 3: Leadership & Strategy Roles
Embed GCC‑based leaders in FP&A, product analytics, and market research. Establish rotational programs with HQ to bridge strategy and execution.

Stage 4: Innovation & Commercial Command
Transition to high‑value innovation activities—pricing strategy, market expansion, AI‑driven models, and cross‑functional commercial leadership.

Related reading: How to Build Cross‑Functional Pods in GCCs That Deliver Autonomy

Case Examples & Benchmarks

Cargill is expanding finance, analytics, and data teams in its Bengaluru and Gurugram GCCs, adding 500 jobs to support global operations. In pharma, India now hosts nearly 40% of the global commercial services workforce through GCCs in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai.

Across industries, roughly one‑third of GCC job openings are now for analytics and product roles, signaling a strong move beyond traditional IT engineering.

Also see : India’s GCCs: The Strategic Nexus for U.S. Innovation and Growth in 2025

Bottom Line: India GCCs Are No Longer Just Tech Hubs

India’s strength in IT services gave GCCs their start. Now, non‑IT roles are powering the next growth wave. Finance, analytics, marketing, operations and commercial specialists are turning GCCs into strategic hubs that deliver insight, innovation and leadership for global enterprises.

Related reading: India’s Quiet Transformation: From Cost Centres to Core Systems

Sources: McKinsey, Gartner, NASSCOM, PwC, ACCA, Zinnov, Times of India, Economic Times, Reuters, ZS Associates

Ralent helps high‑growth companies and startups identify, hire, and scale non‑IT teams in India’s GCC ecosystem, enabling enterprises to move from cost centers to strategic global hubs.