According to the Quess Corp’s India’s GCC Tech Talent Landscape: Q2 FY26 report, hiring in India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs) increased by 5 -7% during the July-September quarter (Q2 FY2026).
AI and data, platform engineering, cloud, FinOps, and cybersecurity roles are most in demand, according to the report. In fact, sectors such as BFSI, Manufacturing, Automotive, Energy, Technology, and Hardware have become the main pillars of GCC growth.
“India’s GCC evolution is entering its most strategic phase yet, one defined by precision, not proliferation. The second quarter reflected a measured 5-7% quarter-on-quarter hiring growth, highlighting a shift from scale to capability-led maturity, with AI, FinOps, and platform reliability emerging as core priorities,” – Kapil Joshi, Quess Corp CEO – IT Staffing.
The report added that hiring budgets are now focusing on revenue-critical and resilience-focused functions, creating steady demand for platform engineering, data management, and FinOps roles.
“Roles in AI and Data Science saw an 8% uplift, and FinOps-driven cloud hiring rose 6%, underscoring enterprise focus on performance and cost optimization,” explained Joshi.
The Quess Corp also highlighted that, with increased demand, notable skill gaps have emerged in popular sectors. These gaps are prolonging hiring cycles, especially for mid-senior roles outside tier I cities. Within AI and data, skill gaps now stand at 41%, and sectors like platform engineering (39%), cloud and infrastructure (25%), and cybersecurity (18%) are not behind.
“While tier I metros like Bengaluru and Hyderabad continue to anchor advanced AI and cloud roles, tier II hubs such as Coimbatore, Kochi, and Ahmedabad, each recording 8-9 per cent QoQ growth, are scaling as cost-efficient delivery bases,” Joshi mentioned, talking about the geographical landscape of GCC hiring.
The report highlights how hiring in GCCs was the strongest in southern metro cities during Q2FY2026. Bengaluru stood at a 26% share, with Hyderabad at 22%, Pune at 15%, and Chennai at 12%. Within Bengaluru, hiring for AI and FinOps roles remained strong, while Hyderabad saw increased demand in multi-cloud integration and data reliability.
Similarly, Pune and Chennai showcased steady growth in automotive software, platform migration, and intelligent quality assurance, as per the report. With India having around 1,850 active GCCs that employ over 2 million professionals, the number of GCC employees is set to reach 2.5 million by 2030.
