Karnataka to remain driving force behind India’s GCC Industry: IT Minister Priyank Kharge

PTI, Jul 15, 2024, 8:28 PM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka government and Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), in collaboration with a business consulting firm, ANSR, unveiled the much awaited Karnataka GCC Landscape Report on Monday here.

This comprehensive report unveiled by Information Technology Minister Priyank Kharge delves into the state’s thriving GCC (Global Capability Centres) ecosystem, highlighting its growth trajectory, impact, and future potential.

“Karnataka has been the leading force in India’s digital revolution, with GCCs serving as a key driver for the state’s growth trajectory. We are implementing strategic interventions and facilitators to establish a resilient business and operational ecosystem for GCCs. We are coming up with the first GCC Policy in India to better support the GCCs looking to start operations in Karnataka,” Kharge said.

“I am confident that insights from this report will provide a clear and enlightening statement of our accomplishments so far and outline our future plans to benefit the GCC industry,” he said.

According to the official statement, the Karnataka government has introduced incentives, regulations, and new policies supporting GCC setups in both Bengaluru and emerging tech clusters such as Mysuru, Hubbali, and Mangaluru. These measures are poised to attract the next wave of enterprises aiming to enhance their digital capabilities.

“GCCs are currently in a phase characterised by an accelerated, qualitative leap forward, with a focus on innovation, efficiency, and strategic alignment with enterprise objectives. They strive to cultivate exceptional talent pools and foster impactful partnerships within the ecosystem to drive unprecedented organisational success — Karnataka offers the perfect environment for both. We are excited to partner with KDEM on this insightful report,” said Lalit Ahuja, Founder and CEO, ANSR.

Karnataka’s commitment to innovation and talent development makes it an ideal location for enterprises seeking to establish or expand their GCCs. The report provides valuable insights for organisations looking to leverage Karnataka’s strengths and drive exceptional business outcomes, he said.

According to Ekroop Caur, Secretary to Government, Electronics, IT, BT and ST, the upcoming GCC policy, currently being drafted with the support of industry leaders, academicians, entrepreneurs, and various other stakeholders, will help retain Karnataka’s leading position in the global GCC ecosystem.

“This report validates our standpoint and showcases Karnataka’s prowess in attracting GCCs to the state,” she said.

Key takeaways from the report are:

1) Bengaluru remains the hotspot for GCC buildouts, a hub for startups and the preferred choice for platform engineering, owing to the access to “25 per cent of India’s digital talent”.

2) As much as 60 per cent of the Forbes Global 2000 companies who have GCCs in India have their centres set up in Bengaluru.

3) Karnataka is home to over 570 GCCs in India and leads the GCC talent market by a large margin. It’s also the hotspot for enterprise-building digital capabilities, software product innovation and platform engineering.

4) Bengaluru is the world’s 2nd largest hub for AI talent pool. It is now being recognised as a Global AI hub and by the year 2030, Karnataka could host around 330 Forbes 2000 enterprises. This trend is driven by India’s increasing prominence as the global GCC hub.