130+ UK GCCs in India earn $6.5B yearly, employ 2 lakh: Report
By : krishna Mishra
130+ UK GCCs in India Generate $6.5B Annually, Employ Over 2 Lakh: Report
New Delhi, June 29 (IANS) — More than 130 UK-based Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are now operating in India as of FY24, making them the second-largest group of foreign GCCs in the country after the US. According to a new report by consulting firm Zinnov, these centres generate a combined annual value of $6.5 billion and employ over 200,000 professionals.
These GCCs support operations across key sectors such as financial services, software, engineering, media, and retail. Notably, around 14% of these UK-origin centres in India belong to Fortune Global 500 firms, and nearly 95% are engaged in engineering research and development (ER&D).
“The India-UK partnership has matured significantly, particularly in trade, technology, and innovation. In 2025, it reached a new milestone with India emerging as a vital innovation hub for UK firms,” the report said.
Far from being just support arms, 95% of UK GCC talent in India is focused on IT, engineering, and R&D. These centres now function as core technology and innovation hubs, not just cost centres.
The UK has invested $35 billion in India since 2000, making it the sixth-largest foreign investor in the country. This investment has not only created jobs but also built a strong foundation for digital and engineering capabilities.
UK companies are increasingly relying on their Indian GCCs to bridge talent gaps back home, especially in fields like AI, engineering, and product development, while gaining in terms of cost, speed, and scalability.
India’s edge lies in its unmatched talent pool — it produces the largest number of STEM graduates globally and has 3.3 million software engineers. With up to 50% lower operating costs compared to the UK and the world’s largest AI-ready workforce, India remains an attractive destination.
The report highlights that many UK firms have moved from pilot AI projects to large-scale deployment using Indian talent, leveraging India’s robust ecosystem of start-ups, academic institutions, and R&D clusters to build agile, high-performance teams.