Awfis Space Solutions Ltd in partnership with Zinnov, has released a new report titled “The Great Workplace Reset: How India GCCs are Redefining Work, Workforce, and Workspace.” The report examines how Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in India are moving beyond traditional execution roles and taking greater ownership of products, technology, research and artificial intelligence.
According to the report, India currently has 2,117 GCCs operating 3,728 units, generating an estimated US$98.4 billion in revenue in FY26 and employing more than 2.36 million professionals. The number of GCCs has increased by nearly 32% since FY21, while 506 companies from the Global 2000 operate centers in India.
The report also highlights a significant change in the type of work handled by Indian GCCs. Between 2015 and 2026, routine and commodity-based activities declined while higher-value assignments increased. Complex problem-solving work now accounts for 38.1% of GCC activity, while cutting-edge research and development work has doubled.
Almost half of India’s GCCs now undertake a similar or greater share of advanced work compared with their headquarters. Companies developing AI products are also placing twice as much cutting-edge R&D work in India compared with companies that primarily adopt third-party AI solutions.
This change is driving demand for specialised talent. India’s AI and machine learning workforce within GCCs has nearly doubled from 122,000 professionals in 2023 to an estimated 250,000 in 2026, making India the world’s second-largest AI talent market after the United States.
The report identifies talent, control, speed, flexibility and brand as five key factors influencing workplace decisions. As GCCs expand their strategic responsibilities, workspace is increasingly being viewed as an operating requirement rather than simply a real estate decision.
India’s office market reflects this shift. During the first quarter of 2026, office leasing reached a record 20.7 million sq ft, with GCCs accounting for 44%, or 9.1 million sq ft. About 64% of GCC leasing demand came from ecommerce, BFSI and technology companies. US-headquartered businesses accounted for 73% of GCC leasing, while Bengaluru and Hyderabad together represented 67% of demand. Flexible workspaces are also gaining importance. GCCs now account for 40-45% of enterprise flexible-seat demand, while 67% of GCCs surveyed plan to increase flexible workspace to more than 10% of their overall real estate portfolio.
Amit Ramani, Chairman and Managing Director, Awfis Space Solutions, said the changing role of GCCs requires workplace solutions that can keep pace with business growth. He said flexible and managed offices provide companies with the speed and control needed as GCCs move into product, platform and AI-led responsibilities. Nitika Goel, CMO and Managing Partner, Zinnov, said the changing nature of AI work is reshaping GCC talent and workplace requirements, with companies increasingly treating workspace as a leadership decision linked to business objectives.
Awfis Space Solutions Ltd. (Awfis) is a leading provider of flexible workspace solutions in India and the country’s only listed company in the segment. The company operates one of the country’s largest networks of agile workspaces, enabling businesses of different sizes to access and manage workspaces based on their specific needs.
Its portfolio includes flexible workspace solutions such as coworking spaces and customised managed offices, along with mobility services, Design & Build solutions, Awfis Café and TechLabs, which provides advanced technology infrastructure. With a presence across 18 cities and more than 200 centres, Awfis caters to over 3,000 clients across multiple industries. Its scalable workspace offerings are designed to give businesses greater flexibility, convenience and efficiency as their workplace requirements evolve.
