Reshaping the Future: How Indian GCCs Are Helping UK MNCs Stay Competitive

Corporations in the UK must continually evolve to strengthen their position in the global market. They must also strive to solidify their sustainability initiatives and ESG commitments to enhance brand reputation and onboard investors. These will help dodge the risks of losing market share to competitors and protect stakeholders confidence.
Models like COPO and the COPO-Digital Twin Integrated Model, introduced by Inductus GCC,  can monitor and boost operations in real time when setting up a global capability center in India. Learn more.

The UK has the highest growth chances with India’s GCCs. This is because these centers are increasingly leveraging digital transformation, innovation, and advanced technology to build a world-class business hub. The operations in these centers are powered by AI, Digital Twin, IoT, and Blockchain along with a cloud-first approach. GCCs are also turning into dynamic intelligence hubs with risk management applications, Big Data Analytics, real-time BI, and cybersecurity. Additionally, with a growing ecosystem of research labs, startups, and digital skilling programs, India is fueling a ripe tech environment to help UK companies expand operations and enhance global competitiveness.

India has a cost-effective environment when compared to the UK or other Western countries. Labor is generally 60-70% more affordable. Further, Brits businesses can save on the following  to maximize investments:

• administrative expenses like rent, utilities, and salary. 
• customer handling and operations
• infrastructure like office spaces to maximize investments

Such an impressive cost-to-quality ratio makes India a top choice for UK companies looking to increase efficiency without compromising quality. Additionally, the Indian government promotes foreign investments in GCCs through tax benefits, Special Economic Zones (SEZ), and eased regulatory norms for foreign businesses. Altogether, India is a smart and sustainable choice for growing global operations now and in the future. 

The consumer market in India is expected to grow by 46% by 2030 and the customer spending is expected to reach $4.3 trillion. This will make the nation the fastest growing markets globally with a rising demand of UK enterprises in the AI, education, healthcare, and legal services.

Ultimately, UK enterprises will find a gateway to expand their market presence in India and increase sales both within the nation and in adjacent regions like South Asia,  the Middle East countries. They will be able to make the most of their investment and build long-term growth strategies. Further, having a presence in India with a global captive center means gaining deeper insights into the local market dynamics like emerging trends, regulatory requirements, and general movement in consumer behaviour to be able to serve better.

India has a strategic position on the world map and a convenient time lapse with the UK. This ensures uninterrupted customer support, IT services, and service management to guarantee seamless operations and business continuity. Setting up a night shift for its UK counterparts is not required since India can offer round the clock deliveries.

For instance, India is 5 hrs +30 ahead of GMT which  ensures time overlap while also allowing the Indian team to work after the UK hours.There are fewer risks of downtime and higher chances of efficiency and problem resolution across different time zones. This is because they start with tasks and process data even when their foreign counterparts are offline thus maintaining a solid workflow continuity even behind their back.

The UK economy expanded by a mere 0.1% in output terms in the 4th quarter of 2024. Before this, the nation witnessed 0.8% and 0.4%  in Q1 and Q2 of the same year. Such economic instability is the most frequent issue that is presently impacting the revenue of UK businesses. On the other hand, India’s steady economic growth (expected 6.2% in Q3 FY25)  presents a significant opportunity for UK companies seeking to establish a GCC here. 

The UK population is also seeing a dip in skilled workforce, the reason being an ageing population and declining fertility rate. Further, 80% of UK employers in 2024 reported that they are finding it difficult to fill positions of trained labour. However, India is producing approximately 5 million STEM graduates. Further, the country has a high birth rate which justifies its large and growing working population compared to developed nations. It is predicted that such demographic advantage will persist in the coming three decades. The UK companies, therefore, can make the best of this and drive growth in their GCCs.

UK MNCs that harness the power of Indian GCCs are not just surviving, they are categorically thriving. These centers have transcended their conventional roles to innovation engines that drive operational excellence. This will help UK business corporations to gain a formidable competitive advantage in an era which is highly defined by agility and scalability. As businesses navigate the complexities of post-Brexit trade dynamics, rapid technological advancements, and evolving customer experiences, this India-UK partnership serves as a blueprint for success.

A good way to bolster your global captive center is to partner with India’s leading GCC enabler like Inductus GCC. Our deep expertise coupled with strong industry partnerships and policy-level support has strengthened our role as a trusted firm to drive transformational outcomes. We ensure that our models COPO and COPO-Digital Twin Integrated Service Model are executed with superior process excellence and strategic foresight to maximize success.