Pune emerging as GCC hotspot, expected to cross over 500 centres by 2030

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Pune, long hailed as the Oxford of the East for its premier educational institutions, is fast emerging as a hub for global capability centres (GCCs). The city has seen a 70 percent surge in just the past five years, with GCCs rising from 210 in 2019 to over 360 at present, data from Zinnov shows.

A combination of cost advantages, skilled talent availability, proximity to the financial capital Mumbai, and GCC-friendly policies in the making are shaping Pune’s position from a secondary technology hub to a niche high-value GCC destination.

"As trends suggest, by 2030, the number of GCCs in the Pune region will surpass 500,” said Alouk Kumar, founder and CEO of Inductus, a GCC advisory and consulting firm.

At the state level, Maharashtra currently hosts over 725 GCCs in total. Each year, approximately 80 to 100 new GCCs are expected to be established across regions, with 12–15 percent of these projected to choose Pune as their base, according to data from market intelligence firm UnearthInsight.

Karthik Padmanabhan, Managing Partner, Zinnov -- a global management and strategy consultancy firm – believes Pune today has evolved to build deep expertise in automotive engineering, industrial and manufacturing technology, BFSI, and healthcare. The city was once predominantly known for its manufacturing base.

“GCCs here are no longer limited to support functions. They are now owning global engineering charters, managing products end-to-end, leading customer success, pioneering AI-driven innovation, and running design and innovation centers of excellence. This momentum is driven by Pune’s ecosystem,” he said.

He added, “The city brings together OEMs, suppliers, startups, and universities in close proximity, fostering collaboration and talent exchange. With 50,000 engineers graduating annually and 12 percent of India’s ER&D talent based here, Pune offers a compelling pipeline. As India’s university city, it ensures a steady talent supply, and with the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, connectivity to global headquarters will only improve.”

Smitha Hemmigae, MD, ANSR, a GCC establishment and management company, said, “Among the Fortune 500 companies, about 44 have centres in Pune, and about 100 GCCs from the Forbes Global 2000. While GCCs account for nearly 180,000 employees in Pune, about 125,000 of them are coming from the Forbes Global 2000 companies.”

“From a market perspective, we are seeing an overall growth but if compared between Bengaluru and Hyderabad, the latter two still continue to attract more GCCs,” she added.

At present, India is home to around 1,700 GCCs, employing close to 2 million people and are poised to contribute 3.5 percent to the GDP by 2030.

Micro hubs within Pune

According to Zinnov’s data, Pune today accounts for 11 percent of India’s mid-market GCCs and 13 percent of larger centers, proving its versatility across scale. Many global multi-national companies including Eaton, Mercedes-Benz Tech, BMW, Microsoft, Zendesk, Data Axle, Tenerity, and Kimberly-Clark are deepening their footprint here.

Pune’s micro-markets add further depth. For instance, Hinjewadi and Magarpatta are the destinations for IT and ER&D, Kharadi and Viman Nagar for BFSI, Chakan for auto and industrial R&D, and Yerwada for BFSI and knowledge services.

Kharadi, located on the eastern side of the city, is also additionally emerging as a key IT hub. This corridor is home to the EON Free Zone, a 4.5 million square feet Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The zone houses a number of global corporations, including Eaton, Credit Suisse, Allianz, and Citi Corp.

Pune has carved out a strong presence in BFSI domain too being close to Mumbai. Several global financial institutions like Barclays, HSBC, BNY Mellon, and Credit Suisse have established significant GCCs in the city, according to Inductus’ data.

Most importantly, Pune’s specialization in the Automotive and ER&D space is a key differentiator for the city when compared to Indian cities. “Pune "leads the nation in Automotive Sector Global Capability Centers". The city hosts a significant portion of the over 60 automotive GCCs nationwide, which collectively employ around 110,000 engineers,” Kumar said.

He added, “Pune's narrative is one of strategic evolution. The city is not competing on volume but on value and specialization, solidifying its role as a critical and complementary node in India's dynamic GCC landscape.”

Data from UnearthInsight and Nasscom's GCC playbook highlighted that the presence of premier institutes like IISER, COEP, Symbiosis, along with over 250 colleges and universities, and an annual output of around 90,000 engineering and IT graduates provide a robust talent pipeline. This number of tech professionals are expected to grow to 250,000–300,000 by 2030, the data said.

“Bengaluru stands for skill, Hyderabad for speed, and Pune now symbolizes balance, where engineering depth meets cross-sector innovation. That is why over 360 GCCs have already anchored here, and why the city is set to strengthen its position as a global innovation hub,” Zinnov's Padmanabhan told Moneycontrol.

Cost benefits, policy incentives

The biggest draw for MNCs to set up shops in Pune has been its cheaper real estate and commercial rental costs. Data from Inductus shows Pune has consistently secured the second-highest share in GCC office leasing. In just the last couple of years, where Pune accounted for 34 percent of total office space transactions nationwide, GCCs alone captured an astonishing 81 percent of that transacted area.

“Pune offers a significant cost advantage over traditional Tier-1 GCC hubs like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR. The city's commercial office rentals are 20–30 percent cheaper when compared to Bengaluru and Hyderabad. This cost-benefit extends beyond just real estate to include employee salaries and the overall cost of living,” said Inductus’ Kumar.

On the policy front too, the Maharashtra state government has introduced investor-friendly initiatives, such as the IT/ITeS Policy and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) schemes, and a GCC policy too is in works, which will offer tax incentives, subsidies, and streamlined approvals for companies.

Gaurav Vasu, CEO, UnearthInsight said, "Proactive initiatives such as the Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSInS), simplified regulatory frameworks, the MAITRI single-window clearance, and targeted skilling in emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and data analytics is creating a business-friendly ecosystem."

While such government support creates a highly favorable and predictable business environment for global corporations to establish their presence, it’s not all roses in Pune as the infrastructure challenges continue.

Civic issues including traffic congestion, water logging and poor maintenance of the city’s IT corridor in Hinjewadi has been core to the concerns recently flagged by the State government.

In July 2025, during a visit to Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi -- the city's most prominent technology hub, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar warned about the mismanagement in the IT corridor, saying, “We are ruined. The entire Hinjewadi IT Park is relocating, leaving Pune and Maharashtra for Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Is anyone bothered?”

Spanning over 2,800 acres, Rajiv Gandhi IT Park is home to over 800 companies global IT companies.