India saw 63 new Global Capability Center (GCC) units come up in the first quarter of CY26, down 15% year-on-year, as existing GCCs slowed their expansion plans, according to the UnearthIQ GCC Radar CY26 Q1 Update.
Macroeconomic uncertainty has pushed many companies to hold back on growth decisions for now. Brownfield activity, i.e., expansions by existing GCCs, fell 30% YoY to 35 units, down from 50 in the same quarter last year.
New GCCs, however, bucked the trend. Greenfield entries rose to 28 in Q1, up 17% YoY from 24 in CY25 Q1. This shows that India remains a preferred choice for global firms setting up captive operations, even as the broader investment mood turns cautious. The steady rise in first-time entrants signals that multinationals continue to see India as a long-term talent and innovation hub.
Hyderabad leads, Tier-2 cities broaden the map
Hyderabad led the quarter with 13 new greenfield entrants, backed by an active state policy and a maturing GCC ecosystem, according to an UnearthIQ report. Bengaluru followed with 7 new setups and 10 expansions. Pune saw strong expansion activity with 6 brownfield units against 2 new entries, while Chennai added 3 greenfield units and 5 expansions. Mumbai and Delhi/NCR each saw 1 new unit and 1 expansion.
Beyond the big metros, the footprint is quietly widening. Vadodara in Gujarat added 1 new GCC, Thiruvananthapuram and Vizag each saw 1 expansion, and Kolkata added 1 new entrant. Together, these moves point to India’s GCC map growing beyond the usual metro hubs.
Tech, BFSI, and chips lead the next wave
Hi-Tech stayed in the lead with 9 new and 10 expanded units, as enterprise tech and AI firms tap India for deep talent in AI, cloud, and product engineering. New AI-focused entrants include Anthropic and SoundHound AI in Bengaluru, as well as Cohere Health and ScienceLogic in Hyderabad.
BFSI was the second-largest sector with 6 new and 7 expanded units, as firms move more work from third-party vendors to their own captives. New entrants include Caxton Associates and LPL Financial, while UBS, Western Union, and ICE expanded their presence in India.
Semiconductors stood out with 4 expansions, a sign that existing players are doubling down. US export curbs on China are helping India emerge as a chip design hub, with KLA-Tencor (Chennai), Silicon Labs (Hyderabad), and MKS Inc. (Bengaluru) deepening their footprint. Healthcare and Pharma, Manufacturing, and Professional Services each saw 4 new and 4 expanded units. Aerospace and Defense saw its first meaningful activity of the year, with Airbus SE expanding in Bengaluru.
US dominates, Europe diversifies
US firms accounted for about two-thirds (66%) of all GCC units, with 19 new and 22 expanded units. This shows how much American firms continue to rely on India for tech and operations talent at scale. Notable US names include Apple and Charles Schwab in Hyderabad, and Applied Materials, Palo Alto Networks, and Thales in Bengaluru.
Six European countries were active during the quarter. Switzerland led with 3 expansions (Syngenta, UBS, Lonza), followed by France with 3 expansions led by Airbus SE and Sanofi-Aventis. Japan was the only Asia-Pacific contributor.
Source: UnearthIQ GCC Radar — CY26 Q1 Update, 20 April 2026
