Indian GCCs Accelerate Hiring, Outpacing Traditional IT Services in Net Additions

A recent PwC report highlights that Indian Global Capability Centres are evolving into strategic technology hubs, handling advanced analytics, AI research, product engineering and even global profit-and-loss responsibilities. This shift has translated into a hiring surge, with GCCs reporting net additions of around 200,000 staff in FY26, far exceeding the roughly 110,000 added by traditional IT services firms. Compensation data indicates expected salary growth of about 9.3% for GCC positions, outpacing the 6.6% rise in technology consulting firms.

The strongest demand is for skills in AI model creation, data foundations, cloud, cybersecurity and automation, with mid-career professionals being the primary focus. Entry-level hiring is also rising, with GCCs offering a premium CTC of roughly Rs 5.5 lakh versus Rs 4.5 lakh at other firms. Overall, GCCs now account for about 27% of India’s tech hiring demand, up from 15% in 2024.