Indian states are competing with tailored policies, fiscal incentives, and infrastructure investment to position GCCs as a key driver of employment and office space demand, with projections of nearly 1.18 million jobs and over 1,300 new centres by 2031.
Indian states are positioning Global Capability Centres as a major engine of employment and commercial real estate demand, with a CBRE South Asia report projecting nearly 1.18 million jobs and about 1,380 new centres by 2031. The consultancy said the push is being underpinned by state-level GCC policies, fiscal incentives and investment in infrastructure as governments compete to attract more of the sector’s operations.
CBRE said GCCs have already leased more than 123 million square feet of office space across India’s top nine cities between 2022 and the first half of 2026, highlighting how quickly the market has scaled. The sector’s share of total office leasing rose from about 29% in 2022 to roughly 43% in the first half of 2026, with technology, banking, financial services and insurance, and engineering and manufacturing making up more than 60% of activity.
The report also points to a widening policy race among states. Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have all introduced dedicated GCC policies, while Telangana, Delhi and Tamil Nadu have adopted frameworks or incentives aimed at encouraging expansion. Kerala, meanwhile, has proposed draft policy measures. CBRE said this shift shows GCCs are no longer seen as a niche part of India’s services economy but as a core investment target.
The consultancy’s earlier research suggests the growth trend is already well established. In March, CBRE said GCCs had leased more than 100 million square feet between 2022 and 2025 and accounted for about 39% of total leasing in 2025. It has also said Tier II cities are becoming more important because of better connectivity, deeper talent pools and lower costs, while a separate January 2025 report said GCC leasing hit an all-time high of more than 29 million square feet in 2024.
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