Beyond Patient Care: Building the Next Generation of Healthcare Capabilities in India

The opportunity is not limited to hospitals or pharmaceutical multinationals. Different parts of the healthcare ecosystem have different reasons to develop capabilities in India. 

Healthcare technology companies may need product engineers, cloud specialists and data teams to develop and maintain their platforms. 

Pharmaceutical and life sciences businesses may explore clinical data management, research technology, regulatory support, analytics and specialized digital capabilities. 

Medical device companies may require software engineering, connected-device technology, product development and cybersecurity expertise. 

Healthcare service providers and health systems may consider selected finance, IT, revenue-cycle, reporting and administrative functions, subject to their operating requirements and applicable regulations. 

Healthcare data and analytics businesses may need data engineering, platform development and analytical capabilities to support their products and customers. 

The important distinction is that these opportunities are not interchangeable. A pharmaceutical company and a digital health software provider may both benefit from a GCC, but their talent requirements, governance obligations and operating models can be very different. 

The starting point should always be a clear understanding of the business.

Cost efficiency remains a consideration when companies assess international expansion. However, it should not be the only measure of a GCC’s value. 

A centre that delivers lower operating costs but lacks clear ownership, skilled leadership or integration with the parent business may struggle to produce sustainable results. 

The more important question is what the center enables the organization to do. 

Can it shorten product development cycles? Can it provide specialized skills that are difficult to recruit in the home market? Can it improve data capabilities, strengthen technology operations or support the launch of new products? 

These are the questions that should shape the business case. 

Companies should also consider the complete cost of establishing and operating a centre, including recruitment, infrastructure, technology, management, compliance and ongoing development. Any expected savings should be based on the company’s actual requirements rather than generic industry estimates. 

For mid-sized healthcare businesses, a focused operation with clearly defined responsibilities may offer a more practical starting point than a large, multi-function setup. 

Establishing a GCC involves more than selecting an office location and hiring employees. The company needs to decide what the centre will do, how it will operate and how it will remain accountable to global leadership. 

A phased approach can help make these decisions more manageable. 

Start with a Defined Business Requirement 

The first step is to identify the capability the organization needs to build. 

It may be a product engineering team, a data analytics function, a cloud operations team or a selected business process. 

Defining the scope early helps establish the required skills, technology access, reporting structure and measures of success. 

Choose an Operating Model That Fits 

There is no single operating model that works for every company. 

Some businesses prefer to establish and manage their own Indian entity. Others may consider a partner-led approach that allows them to develop an operation with support from an experienced local partner. 

Three models that may be relevant, depending on the circumstances, are: 

• Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT): A partner builds and operates the centre before transferring it to the company under agreed terms. 

• Company-Owned, Partner-Operated (COPO): The Company retains ownership while a partner manages specified operational responsibilities. 

• FLEXI or customized arrangements: The scope and operational support are tailored to the company’s requirements. 

The appropriate choice depends on the desired level of ownership, internal management capacity, implementation requirements and long-term plans. 

These operating arrangements should be distinguished from the legal structure used to conduct business in India. Companies should obtain qualified legal and tax advice before selecting their structure and entering into agreements. 

Establish Governance before Scaling 

Healthcare companies must pay particular attention to data access, cybersecurity, intellectual property, operational accountability and compliance. 

The company should establish clear responsibilities between its headquarters, India team and any operating partner. 

Performance measures should be agreed upon before launch. These might include delivery quality, hiring milestones, service levels, development timelines and total operating cost. 

Once the operation demonstrates reliable performance, additional functions can be introduced according to business priorities. 

This approach creates room for growth without assuming that a larger centre is automatically a better one. 

For a healthcare company considering India, identifying an opportunity is only the first part of the process. The next step is determining how to turn that opportunity into an operational model that fits the business. 

Inductus supports global businesses exploring and establishing GCCs in India through its published BOT, COPO and FLEXI operating models. 

Its Discover–Design–Build–Scale framework provides a structured way to approach the journey. 

Discover: Assess the business objective, proposed functions, talent requirements, location considerations, cost structure and potential risks. 

Design: Define the operating model, scope, responsibilities, governance and implementation plan. 

Build: Coordinate the establishment of the agreed operation, including relevant talent, infrastructure and operational requirements. 

Scale: Plan the expansion of capabilities as business needs evolve and the initial operation demonstrates its value. 

For healthcare organizations, this means starting with the capabilities they genuinely need rather than assuming that every company requires the same type of GCC. 

The appropriate scope of support will depend on the company’s requirements, the services agreed upon and the applicable legal and regulatory framework. 

The broader objective is to help businesses approach India expansion with a clear plan, appropriate operating arrangements and a foundation for long-term growth. 

The next phase of healthcare GCC development will depend on how effectively organizations combine specialized talent, technology, governance and business ownership. 

AI and digital health will continue to create new possibilities, but technology alone will not determine success. Companies will also need strong processes, reliable infrastructure, appropriate oversight and teams that understand the objectives they are expected to deliver. 

For some healthcare businesses, this journey may begin with a small engineering team. For others, it may start with data analytics, research technology or selected global operations. 

Over time, these capabilities can grow into a centre that contributes more directly to product development, innovation and the company’s global priorities. 

India offers a compelling environment in which to explore that possibility. The real opportunity, however, lies in building the right capabilities for the right reasons. 

At Inductus, we believe that a successful GCC begins with a clear business purpose and an operating model designed to support it. 

For healthcare organizations evaluating their next phase of growth, a thoughtful approach to India can be the first step towards building capabilities that deliver value well beyond day-to-day operations.