India's policy reforms, skilled workforce, competitive costs and expanding digital infrastructure are strengthening its position as a preferred destination for advanced manufacturing and Global Capability Centres (GCCs), industry leaders said at a roundtable discussion in Houston.
The event, titled "India Spotlight: Strategic Insights for Advanced Manufacturing and Global Capability Centres", was hosted by the Consulate General of India in Houston on Thursday and brought together business leaders and experts to discuss opportunities for deeper India-US economic collaboration.
Opening the session, Consul General of India in Houston D C Manjunath highlighted the country's ongoing economic reforms, investor-friendly policies and incentive programmes aimed at reinforcing India's role as a global manufacturing and innovation hub.
Industry experts from ICICI Bank, JLL India and US-based engineering and technology company KBR discussed the rapid expansion of India's GCC ecosystem, noting that more than 100 new centres are being established annually across sectors including technology, engineering, financial services and healthcare.
The panel discussion was moderated by Kishan Kunal, Head–MNC USA at ICICI Bank, and featured Atul Jain of ICICI Bank, New York, Yogesh Shevade of JLL India and Natasha Frausto of KBR Inc.
Panellists highlighted several factors driving multinational investment into India, including a large pool of skilled professionals, sector-specific industrial clusters, competitive incentives offered by state governments and significant improvements in physical and digital infrastructure.
Also read: India's data centre pipeline hits 8.33 GW
They also pointed to government initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which has encouraged manufacturing investments and enhanced India's competitiveness across various sectors.
According to the experts, GCCs are increasingly evolving beyond back-office functions and are now serving as strategic centres for innovation, research, engineering and business operations. India has emerged as the world's leading destination for such centres due to its talent base and cost advantages.
The participants emphasised that India's growing GCC ecosystem is helping multinational corporations drive innovation while improving operational efficiency and access to skilled professionals.
The roundtable also explored opportunities to strengthen India-US cooperation in trade, technology and innovation, with participants discussing ways global companies can expand their presence in India's rapidly growing economy.
The Consulate General of India said it remains committed to supporting deeper commercial engagement between the two countries and facilitating partnerships that contribute to the expanding strategic and economic relationship between India and the United States.
Industry leaders expressed confidence that India's reform agenda, infrastructure development and skilled workforce would continue to attract global investment in manufacturing, technology and innovation-driven sectors.
Follow us
