New Delhi, Jun 30: Over 130 UK Global Capability Centres (GCCs) have been set up in India (as of FY24) — making them the second-largest GCC cohort in India after the US — which are generating $6.5 billion in annual value, according to a new report.

These 130 GCCS by UK companies in India employ more than 200,000 professionals, according to the report by global consulting firm Zinnov.

This workforce supports operations across financial services, software, engineering, media, and retail sectors.

Almost 14 per cent of UK GCCs in India belong to Fortune Global 500 firms, and nearly 95 per cent are engaged in engineering research and development (ER&D).

“Over the last few years, the UK and India have deepened their ties across trade, technology, education, and innovation. But in 2025, this partnership has crossed a new milestone. India has become a strategic node for UK-headquartered organisations looking to drive scale, innovation, and resilience,” the report noted.

Not just support work, 95 per cent of UK Global Capability Centre talent in India today is focused on IT, Engineering, and R&D.

“These aren’t cost centres – they’re product, tech, and innovation hubs. The UK is the sixth-largest investor in India, having brought in $35 billion since 2000. That capital hasn’t just created jobs – it has laid the foundation for long-term Digital and Engineering capability,” according to the report.

UK firms are using Indian GCCs to solve for capability gaps at home, especially in areas like engineering, AI, and Product Development – all while achieving speed, scale, and cost advantages.

India produces the highest number of STEM graduates globally and is home to 3.3 million software engineers - but scale is only part of the story, said the report.

While the global cost of setting up 100-member teams has increased by 8 per cent, India continues to offer up to 50 per cent lower costs than the UK. India also has the largest AI-ready workforce in the world, and UK Global Capability Centres are tapping into this with increasing urgency.

According to the Zinnov report, many have moved from pilot projects to production-scale AI programmes, using Indian talent and tech ecosystems to drive the shift. The real edge isn’t just affordability. It’s about being able to build high-performance teams fast, with access to adjacent capabilities in start-ups, academia and R&D communities.

(IANS)

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