Bengaluru: Uttar Pradesh used the Zinnov Confluence 2026 platform to engage directly with global capability centre (GCC) leaders on what enterprises need to establish and expand their operations in the state.
The discussion focused on practical considerations such as skilled talent, technology capabilities, infrastructure and the speed at which government can respond to business requirements, as Uttar Pradesh seeks to strengthen its position in India’s growing GCC ecosystem.
Uttar Pradesh Puts Enterprise Needs at the Centre
The engagement centred on a closed-door roundtable titled ‘The GCC Opportunity in Uttar Pradesh: Talent, Technology, and What’s Next’, chaired by Arvind Kumar, GCC Head, Invest UP. The session was organised around the question, ‘Why Uttar Pradesh for Your Next GCC Expansion?’
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Rather than focusing only on the state’s investment proposition, the discussion sought inputs from GCC leaders on the capabilities they could potentially establish in Uttar Pradesh, the challenges that could affect such decisions and the government interventions that could make the state more attractive for future expansion.
The session brought together Arvind Kumar, GCC Sector Expert Harsh Kumar from Invest UP’s EY team, and Ram Mushini, Associate Director at Deloitte.
“The most valuable part of this dialogue was hearing directly from enterprises about the decisions behind their next expansion — the capabilities they are looking to build, the talent and technology requirements they have, and the constraints that can influence where those capabilities are placed. These conversations give us a clearer view of what industry needs from government and where targeted action can make a difference as Uttar Pradesh strengthens its GCC ecosystem,” said Arvind Kumar, GCC Head, Invest UP.
What Uttar Pradesh Is Offering GCCs
Uttar Pradesh already has a dedicated GCC Policy 2024, with Invest UP serving as the nodal agency. The policy is designed to attract Global In-house Centres and offshore units operating in areas including IT, finance, human resources, engineering and R&D.
Key features of the policy include:
- Capital subsidies: Up to ₹10 crore for Level-1 GCCs and ₹25 crore for Advanced GCCs.
- Operational support: A 20% operating-expense subsidy, subject to specified limits and conditions.
- Land incentives: Subsidies vary by region, with higher support available in Purvanchal and Bundelkhand.
- Talent support: Incentives are available for recruitment and salaries, including additional support for eligible UP-domiciled employees.
- R&D and innovation: The framework also provides support intended to encourage high-value technology and research activities.
Why GCCs Matter to Uttar Pradesh
GCCs are specialised centres established by global companies to undertake functions such as technology development, engineering, analytics, finance, research and other business services. Their role has increasingly moved beyond back-office operations towards higher-value technology and innovation functions.
For Uttar Pradesh, the objective is therefore not simply to attract more offices, but to develop centres capable of handling specialised global mandates.
The state’s GCC proposition extends beyond its established technology ecosystem in Noida and Greater Noida, with cities including Lucknow and Varanasi also being positioned as emerging technology and investment destinations. Invest UP has highlighted the availability of talent, digital infrastructure and policy incentives as part of its strategy to expand the state’s services ecosystem.
Enterprises Seek Talent, Technology and Faster Execution
Zinnov Managing Partner and Chief Marketing Officer Nitika Goel said the discussion reflected a shift in how companies assess locations for GCC expansion.
“GCC location decisions are becoming increasingly capability-led. Enterprises are evaluating where they can access the right talent, build differentiated technology capabilities, and execute at the speed their global businesses require. Uttar Pradesh brings scale to that conversation, and the roundtable was valuable because it put those enterprise requirements directly on the table. The opportunity now is to translate that dialogue into a proposition that can support specialised, high-value GCC mandates across the state,” said Nitika Goel, Managing Partner and Chief Marketing Officer, Zinnov.
The engagement comes as Uttar Pradesh continues to strengthen its policy framework for technology-led investment. The state has also been expanding its broader digital infrastructure, including data centres and AI-related initiatives, alongside its GCC policy.
The Zinnov Confluence discussion consequently placed enterprise requirements at the centre of Uttar Pradesh’s GCC strategy, with the focus shifting from simply asking why companies should choose the state to identifying what would enable them to make that decision.
About Zinnov
Zinnov is a global management and strategy consulting firm that works with enterprises on technology, innovation, globalisation and business transformation. Founded in 2002, the firm advises Fortune 500 companies, technology providers, Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and private equity firms on growth and transformation strategies. Its expertise includes GCC setup and scaling, AI and technology transformation, growth strategy, and M&A advisory.
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