India’s journey with Global Capability Centers began in 1985 when a global technology company set up its research and development centre in Bangalore. That move sparked a new competition among global companies to tap into India’s talent. Four decades later, India now hosts more than one thousand seven hundred GCCs. These centres have grown from cost focused units to centres of excellence and hubs that drive global innovation.
The growth, however, has not followed one single path. Each GCC evolves according to the priorities and maturity of its parent organisation. The one common strength is India’s large and skilled talent pool, which continues to support the GCC ecosystem. As this landscape matures, an important question arises. Do we have leaders with the qualities needed for the next phase.
Many GCC leaders built their careers through operational roles. They excelled in efficiency and scale, which helped shape the early years. The next stage demands a shift in thinking. Leaders now need to focus on enabling innovation, building trust, and creating spaces where people feel confident to explore ideas. They must reward curiosity and find the right balance between human creativity and artificial intelligence.
This change rests on three important shifts in leadership behaviour. Empowerment means trusting teams to take decisions and take ownership of results. A stronger risk appetite encourages leaders to view uncertainty as a path toward new ideas. Learning agility is also essential, as leaders must stay curious and adaptable in a world shaped by artificial intelligence.
The first four decades were driven by skill. The future will need skill combined with heart and courage. If leaders do not evolve quickly, India may miss the full benefits of its demographic strength. GCCs could risk becoming efficient but uninspired centres while innovation grows elsewhere. India may supply the talent but end up powering progress in other regions. The GCC journey began with invention and its future depends on reinvention, especially in leadership.
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