Gujarat CM Unveils Global Capability Centre Policy

The new GCC Policy (2025-30) intends to set up new GCCs in Gujarat to provide increased services in areas like IT, finance, R&D, engineering and digital transformation.

The policy targets to attract at least 250 new GCC units to be set up across the state's districts, create 50,000 jobs and secure Rs 10,000 crore in investments. This can potentially develop a thriving GCC ecosystem to transform industry in the long run. 

As per the policy, a GCC is a centre set up by MNCs or domestic companies to handle global operations, business services and innovation. The highlighted sectors include banking, engineering R&D, retail and e-commerce, cybersecurity and data centres, telecom and IT, and pharmaceuticals and healthcare.

To encourage businesses starting or growing GCC operations, the policy offers CAPEX (capital expenditure) and OPEX (operating expense) support:

For units with GFCI (Gross Fixed Capital Investment) under Rs 250 crore, the CAPEX support offered is up to 30 per cent on IT-related costs and 20 per cent on building infrastructure, with a ceiling of Rs 50 crore; while the OPEX support will be reimbursing up to 15 per cent of the operating expenses for five years, with a ceiling of Rs 20 crore every year.

For large-scale initiatives (GFCI above Rs 250 crore or 500+ employees), the CAPEX support will be up to Rs 200 crore; while the OPEX support will be Rs 40 crore each year, with a 35 per cent cap on cloud and broadband costs.

Employment-generation incentives of up to Rs 50,000 for male employees and Rs 60,000 for female employees are offered to new hires who stay for at least a year. Additionally, for a maximum of five years, qualified units are entitled to receive interest assistance of 7 per cent on term loans, up to Rs 1 crore annually.

A five-year refund of employer EPF payments, which covers 100 per cent for female employees and 75 per cent for male employees, is another important perk.

The policy also allows for the exemption of power duty for a period of five years, which will help companies cut down on operating costs. The companies investing in skilling and certification programmes for their employees can get a reimbursement of up to Rs 50,000 per course for the development of a strong and highly capable workforce in the state. 

Apart from employment and monetary incentives, the Gujarat GCC Policy (2025-30) also offers incentives for technology upgradation. Organisations undergoing quality certification procedures are entitled to 80 per cent reimbursement of the cost of certification, up to a maximum of Rs 10 lakh.

Startups and research-based GCCs are also entitled to incentives under the Gujarat IT/ITES Policy (2022-27), which offers other incentives for deep-tech incubators and accelerators.

Begun as a cost-saving unit for global business, GCCs have evolved into innovation hubs that offer advanced technological and financial solutions. India is a global leader in GCCs thanks to its skilled workforce, economic advantages and policy-driven incentives. With the new policy, Gujarat enters a highly competitive space, contested by other Indian GCC hubs such as Bangalore, Hyderabad and Gurugram.