India’s GCCs step into a new era of AI, product ownership and global impact — here’s how

For years, India’s global capability centres were judged by scale — how many engineers, how many processes, how much cost saved.

In 2025, that metric quietly changed.

India’s tech-led GCCs began repositioning themselves as innovation engines — building AI-native skills, owning products end-to-end, and shaping global strategy rather than merely supporting it.

The story of 2025 is not about headcount. It is about capability depth.

“Over the past few years, we have been seeing that GCCs are no longer just cost arbitrage units, but they are now strategic innovation engines and innovation hubs, driving product engineering, R&D, analytics, cloud and AI-first solutions for global business lines,” said Lynette Dsilva, VP HR – Global People Services at Amdocs.

That shift is structural, not cosmetic.

Dsilva noted that GCCs now “increasingly own end-to-end capabilities from design and development to global product delivery adding real business value beyond cost savings.”

At Intuit, that transition is equally visible.

“Intuit in India is a core driver of product innovation and strategic value,” said Jharna Thammaiah, India Site People & Places Leader & Director HRBP.

Teams now contribute across the full product lifecycle — from customer discovery to platform engineering — influencing architecture and product direction.

This is no longer offshore execution. It is co-creation.

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The skills arms race: AI fluency is now table stakes

If there was one unmistakable theme in 2025, it was the scramble for advanced digital capability.

Dsilva pointed to “a strong demand for talent specialising in artificial intelligence, generative AI, cloud capabilities, cybersecurity, and data tech.”

But hiring alone is not the answer.

At Wayfair, the focus shifted decisively.

“This year, our focus shifted from scale to capability depth,” said Mitalee Dabral, Country HR Leader at Wayfair India. “Key priorities included building AI- and data-native skills, strengthening product and platform thinking, and deepening business acumen so teams could influence outcomes, not just execute tasks.”

Influence outcomes. Not execute tasks.

At Intuit, the focus has been building AI-native capabilities at scale.

“Our teams continue to build AI-native and product capabilities at scale leveraging our expertise in machine learning, generative AI, data engineering, and cloud platforms,” Thammaiah said.

But technical depth alone is not enough. Teams are also developing broader business acumen, strategic thinking, customer empathy, and cross-functional collaboration.

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Roles are changing. So is the operating model

Innovation does not happen inside rigid hierarchies.

Intuit reorganised around autonomous squads.

“We see the benefit of autonomous, cross-functional squads with clear product missions,” Thammaiah said, where engineers, product managers and designers share accountability for outcomes.

Wayfair echoed that shift.

“We moved toward outcome-based structures with clearer problem ownership,” Dabral said. Teams were redesigned into smaller, empowered units aligned to products and platforms.

The era of handoffs is giving way to the era of ownership.

Career paths are also being rebuilt. At Intuit, job architecture now allows people to grow as technical experts, product leaders or people managers — not just climb a traditional ladder.

As GCC mandates expand, leadership expectations have risen sharply.

“One of the key challenges was helping leaders manage ambiguity while they balance fast innovation with reliable results,” Thammaiah said.

Wayfair experienced similar pressure.

“As expectations from global stakeholders grew, the need for leaders with strong executive presence, strategic judgment, and comfort with ambiguity became more evident,” Dabral said.

Dsilva added that leadership development now extends beyond young talent to sharpening senior executives’ technical and people capabilities.

The GCC leader of 2026 must be part technologist, part strategist, part culture builder.

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AI: Not a tool. An operating layer

The narrative around AI inside GCCs has matured.

“AI and automation are emerging as real engines driving the shift for GCCs into smart, autonomous operating hubs,” Dsilva said. “These are no longer mere efficiency tools but amplifiers of human intelligence.”

At Amdocs, AI deployment is anchored in inclusivity and fairness, ensuring it enhances rather than replaces human capability.

The emphasis is augmentation, not substitution.

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2026: What global enterprises must get right

Looking ahead, the next phase of GCC evolution will hinge on balance.

“Global enterprises must integrate advanced digital capabilities with a strongly human-centric approach,” Dsilva said.

That means responsible AI frameworks, niche skill acceleration and strategic workforce planning.

At Intuit, preparation for 2026 centres on continuous upskilling and leadership depth through mentorship, internal mobility and stretch assignments.

Wayfair is investing in targeted upskilling across AI and analytics while accelerating leadership readiness and global exposure.

Across all three organisations, a pattern emerges.

“High-impact GCC talent will be defined by the ability to blend AI fluency, end-to-end product accountability, and customer obsession,” Thammaiah said.

Dabral added: “AI-augmented problem-solving, end-to-end ownership, adaptability, and global collaboration.”

India’s GCCs are no longer competing on cost. They are competing on innovation velocity, skills density and leadership maturity.

The question for 2026 is no longer whether India can host global capability.

It is whether India’s GCCs will begin defining global strategy itself.