Why Healthcare GCCs in India Are the Future of Global Healthcare Operations

India has emerged as a global leader to set up a global captive center. Here are the reasons:

1. Cost Efficiency

• The operational cost in India is 60–70% lower than in the US and Europe, which provides heavy savings on infrastructure and salary. India’s Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities have a low cost of real estate and features, which enables large-scale operations on low investment.
• GCC in India reports savings of 40% in IT support, R&D and administrative functions. (NASSCOM) 
• Bristol Myers Squibb, Hyderabad G.C.C. Established its global R&D support cost.
• Labour cost equality with high-quality output makes India ideal for increasing special tasks such as pharmacovigilance and clinical trials. 

2. Skilled Talent Pool

• Every year more than 1.5 million stem graduates are levelled in India, most of whom specialise in health science, pharma, and data analytics.
• According to the India Skill Report 2024, more than 65% of graduates are eligible for healthcare IT and employment in life science.
• Sanofi expanded his AI drug search programme due to the availability of AI-trained bio-informative engineers in Hyderabad.
• Constant learning culture and partnership with IIT/IIM ensure continuous talent development. 

3. Government Assistance

• India allows 100% FDI in hospitals, diagnostics, and medical devices under the automatic route, which promotes foreign-led GCC growth.
• Special Economic Areas (SEZs) and International Financial Services Center (IFSCs) provide tax exemptions and rapid approval.
• Production -related incentive (PLI) plan encourages local innovation in medical equipment and API.
• Eli Lilly’s expansion in Hyderabad has the support of Telangana’s Pharma Park incentives.
• Aligning digital health regulations with GDPR and Hipaa ensure global compliance with Indian GCC.

4. Digital and Pharma Ecosystem

• India supplies more than 60% of global vaccines and is the third largest producer of pharmaceuticals in terms of volume.
• The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission promote digital adoption throughout the ecosystem.
• The presence of more than 8,000 health tech startups speeds up cooperation and innovation.
• Novartis uses its India GCC for real-world evidence through EMR and EHR Analytics.
• AI in Healthcare, wearable diagnosis, and blockchain EHR systems are rapidly maturing in India’s health-technical scenario. India is a pioneer in vaccine and generic manufacturing.

5. Time Area Benefits

• India’s GMT 5:30 Time Region supports 24/7 operating continuity for North America, Europe, and APAC regions.
• The global clinical testing enables a follow-the-sun model for clinical trials, aid services, and data processing.
• Healthcare GCC can manage immediate response units and cyber security incident management for GCC Western markets.
• Roshes’s GCC team in India conducts real-time coordination with Swiss and American teams, increasing the turnaround time.

6. Innovation and Research and Development Culture

• India files more than 60,000 patents every year, in which the number of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices is increasing. India is rapidly becoming known for its role in the co-development of drug manufacturing, AI-based diagnostics, and personal medical solutions.
• The academic cooperation is strong, with the partnership with IIT, IISC and NIPER promoting industry-consumption innovation.
• Novartis uses his Hyderabad GCC for real-world evidence analysis, pharmacovigilance, and clinical tests.
• India is one of the top five countries worldwide in terms of science and engineering publications (UNESCO).
• There are over 500 health-tech startups in Bengaluru and Hyderabad that are working on AI diagnostics, wearable devices, and genomics-based therapy. 

7. Close to Emerging Markets

• India’s location makes it a strategic center to serve South-east Asia, the Middle East, and Africa—these are areas where the demand for healthcare is increasing rapidly.
• The GCC of Sanofi in Hyderabad supports localised health solutions for the Asia-Pacific region using the area-specific data model.
• Business agreements with ASEAN and Middle Eastern countries reduce regulatory burden for cross-border GCC operations.
• India provides strategic proximity to the high-development markets of Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, making GCC region-specific solutions.

Global medicine and biotech giants have recognised India’s strength in healthcare GCC operations:

• Ellie Lily works from Bangalore and Hyderabad, which takes advantage of AI, automation, and cloud platforms to promote drug delivery efficiency.
• The Hyderabad GCC of Sanofi focuses on implementing AI in the value chain, especially in the search and development of the drug.
• Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) leads digital changes and R&D from its GCC in Hyderabad.
• Roche takes advantage of its India GCC for advanced clinical solutions and personalised medicine.
• Novartis, which has been working in India since the early 2010s, uses its GCC for clinical trials, pharmacovigilance, and analysis of the real world.

These companies are taking advantage of India’s healthcare talent to change everything from drug development to patient care through their global captive centers.

• Address the workforce shortage: GCC Health Services in India provides 24×7 access to efficient professionals in IT, clinical research, and data analytics, which helps to bridge global staffing intervals.
• Promote cyber security: With dedicated security teams, Indian GCC implements advanced data security and compliance structures to combat growing cyber threats.
• Promote digital changes: GCCs lead to modernisation of heritage systems, implementation of AI-managed diagnosis, and launch of telemedicine platforms.
• Regulatory compliance ensures GCC healthcare firms help firms navigate complex international regulations and maintain the relevant, audit-ready data system.
• Improvement in operational efficiency: GCCs reduce administrative costs and time by automating back-end workflows and streamlining patient data management.
• Give speed to innovation: GCC supports R&D, drug discovery, and real-world evidence analysis, leading to the speed of product growth and market readiness.

As the global healthcare market is moving towards precise medicine, price-based care, and digital delivery, India’s GCC scenario is becoming more strategic. According to NASSCOM, India alone is expected to have more than 50 new GCCs in 2025, many of which will focus on healthcare.

Additionally, the health insurance market in India is growing at 11.55% CAGR, which is expected to reach $30.29 billion by 2030. This opens the doors for insurance technology, analytics, and patient management services from India-based GCC.

Global healthcare companies cannot ignore India’s value in their long-term strategies. From the management of operational risk to promote innovation and meeting regulatory requirements, GCC in India is proving necessary to be necessary. Whether you want to reduce the cost, promote cyber security or launch new digital health solutions, a well-structured GCC is your secret weapon.

If you are considering expanding your healthcare GCC operations or need to know more about the topic, you may refer to this report,

“A Business case for the healthcare industry.”