Why India's top talent is migrating from traditional IT Services to Global Capability Centers — and why the best companies in the world are building here.
India is no longer just a cost-saving destination. It is the world's most strategic talent hub. Global Capability Centers are wholly owned offshore arms of multinational corporations — not outsourced vendors, but integrated teams with direct ownership of global products and strategy.
In a GCC, there is no 'client.' You share the email ID, the culture, and the stock options of the parent company. This is the fundamental difference.
| Dimension | ⚠ Traditional IT Services (Outsourcing) | ✓ GCC Model (Captive Center) |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship | Vendor–Client. A firewall exists between you and the real business. You support; they decide. | One Team. You report directly to global leadership. No intermediary — you are the team. |
| Work Type | Cost arbitrage: call centers, data entry, maintenance, Level 1 support. | Quality arbitrage: R&D, product engineering, GenAI, global strategy, and innovation. |
| Hiring Model | Mass recruitment (volume). Focus on quantity and rapid onboarding. Skill depth often misrepresented. | Sniper approach (value). 4–6 week process. Deep technical rounds, behavioral fit, hiring manager sign-off. |
| Salary Range | Freshers: 3–4 LPA. Mid-level: 8–15 LPA. Senior roles cap at ~30 LPA. | Freshers: 6–12 LPA. Mid-level: 15–25 LPA. Senior specialists: 40–65 LPA at top-tier GCCs. |
| Equity / Ownership | No equity. Zero ownership stake. No connection to company performance. | RSUs in NASDAQ/NYSE-listed parent. You own real, liquid US stocks. Total comp 50–100% premium. |
| Career Growth | Growth tied to vendor org chart. Limited visibility to global leadership. Ceiling is real. | Direct career path within global parent. Senior IC and leadership roles available. Global mobility possible. |
| Culture | Vendor culture. Your identity is the firm you work for, not the client whose product you build. | Parent company culture. You carry the Walmart, Google, or JPMorgan badge — not a vendor's name. |
The salary 'ceiling' in traditional IT Services often serves as the 'floor' for GCC compensation. Here's what the numbers actually look like.
23% of current lateral hiring in GCCs comes directly from IT Services. The Tridev Trinity — AI, Cloud, and Data — sits at the core of every GCC hiring mandate.
While Bangalore hosts 900+ GCCs, Hyderabad is the fastest growing hub for new centers — with 46% of all new GCC setups choosing the city.
GCCs hire for proof of skill, not just degrees. Here's a structured plan to position yourself for your first or next GCC role.
GCCs offer compelling opportunities — but go in with eyes open. There are real trade-offs to understand before you make the move.
The moment I moved from IT Services to a GCC, I went from maintaining someone else's product to owning a feature that shipped to 50 million users globally. There's no going back.
The salary difference was significant, but the real shift was psychological. In a GCC, you're not a vendor. You're part of the company. That changes how you think, how you work, and what you build.
My RSUs have appreciated significantly since I joined. On paper, I'm earning three times what I was at my last IT Services job — and the work is far more intellectually demanding.
The 1990s–2010s belonged to IT Services. The 2020s and beyond belong to GCCs. The salaries are higher, the work is better, and the growth is explosive. The question isn't if the industry is ready — it's if you are.