Coimbatore poised to host nearly 200 GCCs by 2032 on strong talent base

Coimbatore is expected to raise its number of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) from the current 75-plus to roughly 200 by 2032, a new report unveiled on Wednesday says.

A joint study from EY and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) forecasts that Coimbatore could welcome around 125 additional GCCs over the next six years, drawing on its deep engineering talent pool, robust industrial base, stable workforce and expanding innovation ecosystem.

Home to 3.8 million residents, Coimbatore is rich in over 300,000 tech workers, runs 137 engineering institutes and each year sees more than 30,000 STEM graduates join the labour market.

To realize this expansion, the study introduces a ‘5R Growth Framework’ that focuses on pulling in firms that are moving beyond major metros, capitalising on existing GCC achievements, prompting regional businesses to set up hubs, honing specialised engineering and innovation capabilities, and enlarging present GCC operations.

Manoj Marwah, EY India’s Partner and leader of its GCC Markets practice, said Coimbatore has moved beyond its tier‑two tag by showing it can run large‑scale GCC operations.

He noted that several GCCs in Coimbatore already employ more than 1,000 staff, a sign that the city is ready for complex, worldwide projects.

V Noushad, Chairman of CII’s Coimbatore Zone and Managing Director of Walkaroo International Pvt Ltd, said multinational firms are increasingly looking for talent and niche skills outside the usual metro hubs.

He added that Coimbatore is well‑placed to take on a bigger share of India’s GCC growth story and that the framework offers a clear roadmap for building a globally competitive ecosystem.

The report also pointed to low staff turnover, strong academic institutions, affordable office space and supportive state policies as key drivers behind Coimbatore’s ambition to grow its GCC footprint.