Is Hyderabad Overtaking Bengaluru in the Greenfield GCC Race?

Looks like Hyderabad is fast emerging as India’s new hotspot for global capability centres (GCCs), challenging Bengaluru’s long-held dominance. 

According to Xpheno’s latest workforce research report, “Telangana: The Next-Gen GCC Powerhouse,” the city has attracted 40% of all new greenfield GCCs set up in India over the past three years — overtaking Bengaluru’s 33% share. Xpheno is a specialist talent solutions company that offers direct hire, IT staff augmentation, engineering services & sales/support staffing services.

Of the 164 brand-new GCCs established in India over the past 30 months, 64 chose Hyderabad.

According to the report, in 2025 alone, global giants such as Eli Lilly, Vanguard, T-Mobile, McDonald’s, Johnson & Johnson, Costco, P&G, Marriott, American Airlines, Nationwide Insurance, Dai-Ichi, Truist, HCA, Western Union, Goodyear, PNC Financial, Hartford, and ArcelorMittal have set up their GCCs in Hyderabad.

The state currently hosts over 360 GCCs employing more than 3.1 lakh professionals, accounting for 14% of its total white-collar workforce.

Telangana’s Strengths

Telangana is fast emerging as India’s next-generation GCC powerhouse, said Xpheno co-founder Kamal Karanth. “With a vibrant, skilled workforce and progressive infrastructure, the state has become a magnet for global enterprises seeking sustainable talent ecosystems,” he said. 

He added that Hyderabad’s policy support, strong inflow of talent, and access to over 47 lakh white-collar professionals have positioned the city as a hub for high-value capability centres.

Francis Padamadan, CEO (Designate) at Xpheno, said that as new-age GCCs look for scale and leadership depth, Telangana stands out as their preferred destination.

The Xpheno report noted that Telangana ranks second in India for Positive Talent Balance (PTB) with a surplus of 6,400 professionals. Nearly 60% of its GCC workforce is employed in IT and IT-enabled services, while BFSI, healthcare, and manufacturing are among the fastest-growing sectors.

Telangana’s workforce strength adds to its GCC appeal, with 47.8 lakh accessible white-collar professionals — including 23.3 lakh with over a year of experience. Women make up 33% of the GCC workforce, with 19% holding leadership roles, reflecting the ecosystem’s growing inclusivity. 

The state also boasts a strong 4:1 inbound-to-outbound jobseeker ratio, underscoring its ability to attract and retain skilled talent. Engineering and IT roles dominate the landscape, accounting for 57% of total GCC employment in Telangana.

“Telangana’s GCC ecosystem has moved beyond its IT roots to become a multi-functional, sector-agnostic powerhouse,” Padamadan observed.

Preferred by Greenfield GCCs

The presence of global tech majors like Microsoft and Google, alongside leaders in life sciences, BFSI, consulting, semiconductors, and engineering, in Telangana has created a thriving ecosystem that continues to attract global enterprises.

Kedar Pathak, GCC talent specialist at Xpheno, told AIM that Hyderabad offers relatively smoother expansion opportunities for new entrants, as access to specialist talent and competition is relatively easier.

He noted that while Bengaluru continues to lead in total GCC count, with over 860 units employing more than 7.4 lakh professionals, its dense and competitive market can pose challenges for new entrants.

“Greenfield entities often seek low-friction ecosystems that offer best-in-class physical space, talent, and infrastructure to set foot and expand,” Pathak explained.

The shift toward Hyderabad is part of a broader “de-risking” trend, according to Alouk Kumar, CEO, Inductus Group. 

“A key pragmatic driver is the de-risking of talent concentration from established GCC hubs like Bengaluru,” Kumar told AIM.

He said that rising talent costs, higher attrition, and infrastructure strain in Bengaluru have turned Hyderabad’s proposition more attractive. Hyderabad offers a 15–20% cost advantage for certain roles, he added.

“The proactive state government, offering single-window clearances, incentives, and ready IT infrastructure in areas like HITEC City and Gachibowli, significantly reduces time-to-market for new setups,” Kumar said.

Previously, Amjad Khan Patan, VP and centre head for Bosch Global Software Technologies (BGSW) had told AIM that Hyderabad’s reputation as an innovation hub was the reason it was chosen as their location.

“Post-COVID-19, we looked at locations not just for talent numbers but for their ability to drive value creation. Hyderabad stood out. It’s a city where innovation, culture, and commerce converge,” Patan explained.

Sectors Backing This Growth

Kumar noted that Hyderabad’s GCC boom is being driven by a diverse range of industries.

The primary engine is the technology and software sector — global SaaS companies, enterprise software developers, and product engineering firms — drawn by the city’s strength in AI, machine learning, cloud engineering, and chip design. However, BFSI and life sciences are the fastest-growing new entrants, he added.

“BFSI GCCs are setting up sophisticated operations in quantitative modeling, risk management, and cybersecurity, while global life sciences and healthcare players are establishing centres for clinical data management, R&D support, and digital health engineering,” Kumar said. This diversification into high-IP industries underscores the maturity of Hyderabad’s talent ecosystem and its emergence as a multi-sectoral GCC hub, he added.

Despite Hyderabad’s surge, experts emphasise that Karnataka remains the largest and most established GCC hub in India. Xpheno’s data shows that of the 160 new GCCs added recently, 64 were in Hyderabad and 52 in Bengaluru, underscoring that both cities continue to anchor India’s GCC story.

As India’s GCC ecosystem evolves, Hyderabad’s rapid rise signals not a replacement of Bengaluru, but the emergence of a multi-hub model — where both cities, along with Pune, Chennai, and Mysuru, play complementary roles in driving the country’s global innovation narrative.

The post Is Hyderabad Overtaking Bengaluru in the Greenfield GCC Race? appeared first on Analytics India Magazine.

Scroll to Top