India’s AI-first GCCs are reshaping global enterprise strategy: Nasscom’s Rajesh Nambiar

India's Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are undergoing a remarkable transformation, evolving from mere low-cost execution sites into central hubs for designing, testing, and scaling artificial intelligence systems for multinational enterprises. Rajesh Nambiar, president of Nasscom, emphasizes that this shift is redefining how companies perceive their operations in India—from being seen as cost centers to becoming vital engines of strategic growth. In an exclusive interview with Business Today, Nambiar explained that AI is now deeply integrated into the core functions of enterprises, permeating products, internal workflows, and customer-facing operations. This evolution reflects a broader global trend where businesses are transitioning from AI experimentation to full-scale deployment across their operations. Nambiar identifies three key structural shifts driving this change. First, governance has evolved; approximately 64% of GCC site leaders now hold dual roles that combine global business ownership with leadership of the Indian site. Second, the focus of work within these centres has expanded beyond back-office functions to include managing enterprise platforms, AI governance frameworks, and customer outcomes. Lastly, India's burgeoning AI talent ecosystem is a significant factor—Nasscom reports that the country boasts over 1,200 GCCs with AI and machine learning capabilities, supported by more than 250,000 AI professionals, representing nearly 28% of the global GCC AI talent pool. As of FY26, India is projected to host about 2,117 GCCs operating across 3,728 units, employing nearly 2.36 million professionals with an ecosystem valued at approximately $98.4 billion. Notably, nearly half of the newer GCCs established since FY21 were designed with AI as a foundational element from the outset. While global AI models are still primarily developed by major tech companies, Nambiar argues that India is positioning itself as a crucial application and deployment layer for enterprise AI. The discussions within GCCs have shifted from merely building AI to scaling its implementation across various business processes, including fraud detection, compliance, pricing optimization, customer operations, and demand forecasting. Nambiar highlights that India is becoming integral to the global AI stack, with local teams now significantly contributing to enterprise-wide AI governance, platform strategy, and key technological decisions. This shift allows India-based GCCs to take full ownership of AI systems, which are deployed on a global scale across various industries. For instance, in banking and financial services, Indian teams are developing sophisticated AI-driven systems for underwriting and compliance, while retail GCCs focus on AI-led pricing strategies. Moreover, the evolution of AI within GCCs is reshaping how multinational companies measure value. Historically, these centres were evaluated based on cost efficiency and operational scale; however, with AI, the focus has shifted to business growth, product innovation, and customer outcomes. Nambiar notes that mature GCCs are increasingly assessed through scorecards linked to business outcomes, such as productivity improvements and customer retention. The demand for specialized AI talent is also impacting hiring strategies within GCCs. Enterprises are now focusing on redeployment and productivity gains over linear headcount growth, with a notable rise in the demand for roles such as AI and ML engineers and AI security specialists. Nambiar points out that GCCs are moving towards more flexible workforce structures, combining a stable core team with agile specialists to rapidly adapt to the evolving pace of AI development. This emerging model allows enterprises to efficiently build, test, and scale AI initiatives in response to the fast-changing landscape of technology.