GCC jobs in emerging cities grow 42% vs 19% in metros: ANSR Report 2026
Synopsis
India's Tier-2 cities are outpacing metros in GCC hiring — 42% job growth versus 19% — and the ANSR 2026 report says this isn't a blip. With the Union Budget 2025 backing a national GCC framework and AI closing the capability gap, the next chapter of India's $46-billion GCC story is being written outside the big four metros.
Key Takeaways
Emerging cities recorded 42% growth in GCC job openings in 2026, versus 19% in metro cities, per ANSR .
India hosts more than 1,900 GCCs employing over 2.1 million professionals and contributing over 1.5% to GDP.
14 emerging cities assessed include GIFT City, Jaipur, Kochi, Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore, and Visakhapatnam, among others.
The Union Budget 2025 introduced a national guidance framework — described as the first government-backed push for GCC expansion into Tier-2 cities .
AI is reducing the capability gap between Tier-1 and Tier-2 locations, enabling high-value distributed operations.
Emerging cities across India recorded a 42 per cent rise in global capability centre (GCC) job openings in 2026, more than double the 19 per cent growth logged by metro cities, according to the Emerging Cities: India's Next Frontier for GCC Expansion Report 2026 released by ANSR on Tuesday, 26 May. The findings point to a structural reorientation of India's GCC landscape, with enterprises increasingly building distributed operations beyond traditional metropolitan hubs.
Key Developments
India currently hosts more than 1,900 GCCs employing over 2.1 million professionals and contributing more than 1.5 per cent to the country's GDP, according to the report. The ANSR study assessed 14 emerging locations — GIFT City, Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore, Indore, Jaipur, Kochi, Lucknow, Mangalore, Mysuru, Thiruvananthapuram, Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Bhopal, and Warangal — across parameters including talent attractiveness, infrastructure readiness, business and regulatory environment, and quality of life.
What Is Driving the Shift
The report attributes the transformation to six converging factors: a rebalancing of talent geography, rapid infrastructure development, a more favourable policy environment, and the growing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). Emerging cities are benefiting from significant investments in transport and business infrastructure through budget allocations, Special Economic Zone (SEZ) expansions, metro rail projects, and airport modernisation programmes.
The Union Budget 2025 has further accelerated this transition through the introduction of a national guidance framework aimed at creating GCC-ready ecosystems outside major metropolitan centres. The report describes this as the first coordinated government-backed effort to promote GCC expansion into Tier-2 cities.
Role of AI in Bridging the Capability Gap
AI is playing a critical role by reducing the capability gap between Tier-1 and Tier-2 locations, enabling companies to establish high-value operations across a broader geographic network. This is creating new opportunities for enterprises to develop distributed delivery models without compromising on operational capabilities, the report noted.
What Industry Leaders Said
Smitha Hemmigae, Managing Director, ANSR, said: 'Emerging cities are no longer alternatives to Tier-I metros. They are strategic complements within a more resilient and diversified operating model.'
What This Means Going Forward
The convergence of government policy, infrastructure investment, and AI adoption suggests that the GCC expansion into Tier-2 cities is not a temporary trend but a structural shift in how global enterprises organise their India operations. As more companies validate distributed delivery models, the gap between metro and non-metro GCC activity is likely to narrow further in the years ahead.
Point of View
But the more consequential number is the policy one: the Union Budget 2025's national GCC framework is the first time the Centre has formally tried to steer this expansion rather than let it happen organically. The risk is that infrastructure timelines and talent pipelines in Tier-2 cities lag the headline job numbers — a pattern seen in SEZ rollouts before. AI narrowing the capability gap is real, but it also means fewer mid-skill roles per centre, which complicates the employment multiplier story that governments are selling to voters in these cities.
NationPress
11 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the ANSR GCC report 2026 say about emerging cities?
The ANSR Emerging Cities report 2026 found that Tier-2 cities in India recorded 42% growth in GCC job openings, more than double the 19% growth seen in metro cities. The report assessed 14 emerging locations and attributed the surge to infrastructure investment, government policy, and AI adoption.
Which emerging cities were assessed for GCC readiness in the report?
ANSR assessed 14 cities: GIFT City, Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore, Indore, Jaipur, Kochi, Lucknow, Mangalore, Mysuru, Thiruvananthapuram, Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Bhopal, and Warangal. They were evaluated on talent attractiveness, infrastructure readiness, business environment, and quality of life.
How large is India's GCC sector currently?
India currently hosts more than 1,900 GCCs employing over 2.1 million professionals, according to the ANSR report. The sector contributes more than 1.5% to India's GDP.
What role does the Union Budget 2025 play in GCC expansion?
The Union Budget 2025 introduced a national guidance framework aimed at creating GCC-ready ecosystems outside major metropolitan centres. The ANSR report describes it as the first coordinated government-backed effort to promote GCC growth in Tier-2 cities.
How is AI influencing GCC growth in Tier-2 cities?
AI is reducing the capability gap between Tier-1 and Tier-2 locations, enabling companies to set up high-value operations across a wider geographic network. This allows enterprises to build distributed delivery models without sacrificing operational quality, according to the report.
