India GCCs: From Cost Center to Global Chip Architect

The Global Capability Center (GCC) ecosystem in India is undergoing a seismic shift. This was the resounding message delivered at the recent “The GCC Summit 2025” hosted by the Inductus Group, where industry veteran Mr Pranav Mishra, an XLRI Jamshedpur alum with unparalleled experience spanning top accounting, management consulting, server, and semiconductor giants, shared a forward-looking keynote speech.

Mr. Mishra, speaking right after Dr. Kishore Jayaraman and alongside Professor Jaiswal, delivered a perspective that was personal, authoritative, and deeply inspiring. His core thesis was clear: India’s GCCs have evolved from mere back-office extensions into global epicenters of R&D and high-value innovation, with our leadership in semiconductor design being the prime example. This evolution, he argued, necessitates an urgent and structural change in engineering education to secure India’s future as a global technology superpower.

The GCC Metamorphosis: From the ``6% Game`` to Skyscrapers

Mr. Mishra began by contrasting the GCC of the past with the powerhouse it is today, drawing on a powerful anecdote from his own career.

“I started my career in Hyderabad, where in 2013 I left Hyderabad. The largest building there was an ICICI building in Gachibowli. I just went there for a conference in 2023, and that’s, at this moment, it’s the smallest building in Gachibowli.”

This Hyderabad skyscraper anecdote visually anchors the dramatic physical and strategic transformation. He explained that 20 years ago, GCCs were founded on the “6% game,” primarily focusing on finance, legal, and accounting outsourcing, a simple cost arbitrage strategy aiming for a modest 6% ROI.

Today, that model is a relic. The explosion of towering, modern office buildings represents the fact that India is now engaged in “incredible R&D work and incredible innovation.” Our GCCs are no longer about process efficiency; they are about core product development and technological advancement, whether in automotive design, complex software, or the most demanding field of all: semiconductors.

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India: The Invisible Hand in Global Silicon

To truly grasp the scale of India’s current impact, Mr. Mishra pulled back the curtain on the country’s role in microchip technology, a crucial component of nearly every modern device.

He shared a powerful, globally relevant statement that captivated the audience:

“Any chip you hold on the planet, it would have some part of India in it.”

India plays a crucial, though often invisible, role in the design and testing of virtually every major processor, including Central Processing Units (CPUs), Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), and Neural Processing Units (NPUs). As he noted, the GCC ecosystem’s shift means that when a global tech leader releases a groundbreaking chip, chances are, its design, verification, or critical testing was executed by highly skilled engineers working right here in India. This affirms India’s position as a strategic, indispensable partner in the global electronics supply chain.

The Innovation Marathon: The Long Game of Chip Design

Mr. Mishra emphasized that this technological leadership is built on a foundation of long-term commitment, particularly within the demanding semiconductor sector.

Chip development is an innovation marathon, not a sprint. He shared a critical data point for the crowd: it typically takes seven to ten years for a classic, next-generation chip to move from conceptual design to market (GTM).

This long time frame underscores the critical need for sustained investment and an uninterrupted, stable talent pipeline. The engineers who began their training a decade ago are the ones enabling today’s fastest chips, which means we must urgently train the specialized workforce that will be designing the foundational technologies of 2035 and beyond.

Bridging the Talent Gap with VLSI

This necessity brings us to Mr. Mishra’s urgent and targeted call to action: addressing the critical shortage of specialized semiconductor engineers.

With the rise of AI and Gen AI automating traditional engineering roles, the market now demands deeper specialization. Mr. Mishra appealed directly to educators, parents, and aspiring engineers to look beyond traditional engineering degrees and embrace specialized fields.

He highlighted his own work collaborating with AICTE colleges to design new syllabi focused on VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) design. This is the key to designing faster, more powerful chips. The good news is that the education system is responding: VLSI courses are now available in over 600 AICTE colleges.

The appeal is simple yet profound: “We have to sort of move from the traditional job mindset” and pivot towards the new jobs that will define the future: jobs like semiconductor engineering, which are vital for powering everything from advanced computing to the GPU-enabled humanoids we will soon see.

Conclusion

Mr. Pranav Mishra’s address was a powerful reminder that India has already secured its place at the top table of global innovation. Our GCCs have successfully transitioned from mere cost centers to strategic R&D hubs. The final step is to solidify this position by preparing our next generation of engineers to become architects of the future. The roadmap is clear: the future of India’s technological leadership lies in specializing, innovating, and embracing the marathon of semiconductor design.

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frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What is a Global Capability Centre (GCC)?

A GCC is an offshore facility of a multinational company that undertakes niche roles such as research and development, information technology service and strategic management.

What is the Stand-Up India scheme?

It is a government program that gives the women entrepreneurs up to 1 crore in bank loans to fund greenfield projects.

What are the challenges associated with women in tech?

Personal responsibilities and unconscious bias are the factors that lead to their mid-career attrition and slow them down in their careers.

What is the effect of women leaders in the innovation process?

They introduce new ideas, understanding, and team-oriented leadership that speeds up the advancement of such areas as AI and cybersecurity.

What does the future of women in the leadership of the GCC hold?

By 2030, women are expected to take up 25-30 per cent of GCC leadership positions, which will be paramount to the growth of the Indian market.

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Aditi

Aditi, with a strong background in forensic science and biotechnology, brings an innovative scientific perspective to her work. Her expertise spans research, analytics, and strategic advisory in consulting and GCC environments. She has published numerous research papers and articles. A versatile writer in both technical and creative domains, Aditi excels at translating complex subjects into compelling insights. Which she aligns seamlessly with consulting, advisory domain, and GCC operations. Her ability to bridge science, business, and storytelling positions her as a strategic thinker who can drive data-informed decision-making.