India’s GCC industry generated an estimated $98.4 billion in FY26. As GCCs take on more AI, R&D and complex work, demand for scalable offices is rising. They accounted for 44% of Q1 2026 office leasing, while 67% plan to expand their flexible workspace footprint.
India’s Global Capability Centre (GCC) industry is entering a new phase of growth, with revenue estimated at $98.4 billion in FY26, according to a joint report by Awfis Space Solutions and Zinnov.
The country now hosts 2,117 GCCs operating 3,728 units, representing nearly 32% growth since FY21. These centres employ more than 2.36 million professionals, highlighting their growing importance to India’s corporate and office real estate markets.
The GCC ecosystem is also becoming more diverse. While global multinationals remain major occupiers, adoption is expanding among private equity-backed companies, mid-market businesses and digital-native firms. More than 500 Global 2000 companies currently operate GCCs in India.
AI and R&D Reshape GCC Operations
The role of GCCs is moving well beyond traditional support functions. Increasingly, centres in India are taking ownership of products, platforms, technology and AI-led mandates.
The report found that complex problem-solving activities account for 38.1% of GCC work portfolios, while cutting-edge R&D activity has doubled between 2015 and 2026. Nearly half of Indian GCCs now perform an equal or greater share of frontier work compared with their global headquarters.
Awfis Chairman and Managing Director Amit Ramani said India’s GCCs are increasingly taking ownership of products, platforms and AI-led mandates, creating demand for workplace solutions that can scale quickly while offering operational flexibility.
At the same time, the AI-led transformation is changing talent requirements. Zinnov CMO and Managing Partner Nitika Goel said, “The rapid industrialisation of AI is reshaping workforce requirements”, with companies increasingly looking for professionals who combine technical skills with domain expertise and business understanding.
GCCs Become Major Office Space Occupiers
The shift toward higher-value work is translating into strong demand for quality office space. India recorded 20.7 million sq. ft. of office leasing in Q1 2026, with GCCs accounting for 44% (9.1 million sq. ft.).
This makes GCC expansion an important driver of Grade-A office demand across India’s leading commercial markets. The requirement is also evolving, with companies looking for workplaces that can adapt to fluctuating headcounts, teams, and business functions.
For landlords and office operators, this creates an opportunity to provide managed, technology-enabled and scalable workplace solutions rather than relying only on traditional long-term office leases.
Flexible Workspace Gains Strategic Importance
Flexible workspace is emerging as an increasingly important part of the GCC workplace strategy. GCCs currently account for 40–45% of enterprise flex seat uptake in India, according to the report.
More significantly, 67% of GCCs plan to increase flexible office space to more than 10% of their total real estate portfolio. This points to a structural shift in how large enterprises approach workplace planning.
As GCCs continue to move into AI, R&D, and other high-value functions, their real estate requirements are likely to become more complex for India’s coworking and managed office sector, which could translate into sustained enterprise demand for flexible, scalable and technology-enabled workspaces.
