HCLTech has signed a seven-year strategic agreement with The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), expanding their long-standing partnership to accelerate AI-driven modernisation across technology and operations. As part of the deal, HCLTech will acquire Guardian India, bringing nearly 2,000 employees into the company.
The announcement marks a significant expansion of the collaboration between the two organisations. Alongside the acquisition, HCLTech will establish a dedicated Strategic Business Unit focused exclusively on supporting Guardian's technology transformation, engineering and operational priorities.
Guardian India employees to transition to HCLTech
The acquisition of Guardian India, the insurer's global capability centre, is one of the most significant elements of the agreement.
According to HCLTech, the transaction includes:
- The acquisition of Guardian India, a global capability centre supporting technology, operations and shared services.
- The integration of nearly 2,000 employees into HCLTech.
- The creation of a dedicated Strategic Business Unit serving Guardian.
- The appointment of Karunakaran Azhisur, Country Head of Guardian India, to lead the new business unit within HCLTech.
The company said the specialised workforce will continue supporting Guardian while helping drive technology innovation, engineering excellence and operational transformation.
Partnership expands AI transformation
Under the new agreement, HCLTech will help Guardian modernise its technology landscape and business operations using artificial intelligence.
The collaboration will focus on:
- Technology and talent transformation across data, applications and engineering.
- Operational improvements across group benefits, individual protection, retirement and wealth management.
- Reducing costs and accelerating time to market.
- Enhancing customer, advisor and distribution partner experiences.
HCLTech will also expand the deployment of its AI Service Transformation Platform, AI Force, to introduce agentic AI capabilities across Guardian's business operations. The company said these capabilities will align with Guardian's product operating model and create a more resilient delivery foundation that can scale with future business growth.
Leaders outline long-term vision
Steve Rullo, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Guardian, said the expanded partnership supports the insurer's efforts to strengthen its operating model and scale AI adoption across the enterprise.
He said the collaboration is intended to improve consistency, scalability and operational excellence while continuing to invest in capabilities that create value for customers, policyholders and distribution partners.
Srinivasan Seshadri, Chief Growth Officer and Global Head of Financial Services at HCLTech, said the agreement reinforces the company's position in the insurance sector and reflects the strength of its relationship with Guardian.
He added that welcoming the Guardian India team into HCLTech creates an opportunity to co-develop AI-led products and intellectual property while strengthening the company's industry expertise and AI platforms.
Strengthening capabilities for the insurance sector
The expanded partnership reflects a broader trend across the financial services industry, where insurers are combining AI, engineering and specialised talent to modernise operations and improve customer experiences.
For HCLTech, the acquisition of Guardian India not only expands its workforce but also deepens its capabilities in insurance technology, engineering and AI-led transformation. The dedicated business unit is expected to play a central role in supporting Guardian's long-term technology strategy while helping both organisations accelerate innovation across the insurance value chain.