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Karnataka hires almost 30% of India's AI GCC talent
13 May 2026

Karnataka is leading India's global capability center (GCC) talent market, contributing nearly 30% of the country's artificial intelligence (AI)-related GCC hiring.

The information was revealed by the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM).

This highlights the state's growing prominence in AI-first hiring and deep-tech capabilities, even as Hyderabad steadily increases its share in the overall GCC ecosystem.

Bengaluru holds 29% share of India's GCC ecosystem
Market dynamics

The latest Nasscom-Zinnov GCC Landscape Report 2026 shows Bengaluru holding its ground with a 29% share of India's GCC ecosystem from FY24 to FY26E (estimates). Meanwhile, Hyderabad has seen growth in this space with its share increasing from 12% to 14% during the same period.

Shift toward AI-first conversations in GCCs
Evolution

Karnataka's GCC ecosystem has come a long way in the last four decades, evolving from basic offshore operations to AI and innovation-led strategic centers.

KDEM CEO Sanjiv Gupta said that almost 70-80% of conversations with new GCCs are now AI-first.

This shows how much the industry has changed and how important it is for businesses to focus on artificial intelligence right away.

Karnataka aims to expand GCC growth beyond Bengaluru
Expansion plans

Karnataka is also looking to expand its GCC growth beyond Bengaluru to other cities like Mysuru, Mangaluru, and Hubballi-Dharwad.

The state has a ₹600 crore fund, a ₹1,000 crore quantum mission, and several centers of excellence in AI, spacetech, and semiconductor ecosystems.

Gupta stressed that Karnataka's leadership will continue to be based on innovation ecosystems, leadership talent, research infrastructure, and deep-tech capabilities.