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For years, the blueprint for setting up a Global Capability Center (GCC) in India followed a familiar route: start in Bengaluru, or Hyderabad, maybe consider Pune, or NCR. The logic was sound. These metros had the talent, infrastructure, and a ready ecosystem. But over time, that equation has started to break down.
Rising costs. Slower hiring cycles. Crippling traffic. High attrition. Business continuity risks. The very scale that made these cities attractive is now forcing companies to look elsewhere. So where does the next chapter of GCC growth begin?
Once known primarily for its textile and manufacturing legacy, Coimbatore is quietly emerging as one of India’s most promising GCC destinations. Over the past five years, a 21% CAGR increase has been witnessed in new Coimbatore GCC setups — outpacing many Tier-I hubs. Today, it houses over 50 centers employing more than 11,000 professionals, with nearly 60% of them focused on Engineering R&D.
But this isn’t just about scale. It’s about strategy.
1. Cost-Effective, At-Scale Talent
With a 300,000-strong IT-ITeS workforce, Coimbatore offers deep, stable talent pools at nearly one-third the cost of metro cities. This isn’t just low-cost—it’s low-churn. Attrition rates are significantly lower, and senior hiring cycles are faster.
2. Infrastructure That’s Ready to Run
The city already offers 8.1 million sq. ft. of Grade-A office space, backed by reliable civic and digital infrastructure. Add to that the Tamil Nadu government’s proactive GCC policy, payroll subsidies, infrastructure support, and more, and it’s clear: ease of doing business is no longer limited to metros.
3. A Strong STEM Pipeline
With leading universities and industry-led skilling programs, Coimbatore is producing job-ready talent across digital, engineering, and emerging tech domains. This gives companies the ability to hire and train at scale, without the delays common in saturated metros.
4. A Unified Hub for Manufacturing, Engineering, and Digital
Few cities offer the ability to bring together physical and digital capabilities. Coimbatore does. Its legacy in precision engineering and industrial design now blends with digital innovation, creating a unique value proposition for companies seeking full-stack capabilities.
The rise of Coimbatore GCCs is helping reverse outward migration by bringing high-quality, future-ready jobs closer to home. It’s triggering second-order effects—more start-ups, better urban planning, stronger social infrastructure.
In many ways, Coimbatore isn’t trying to copy the Bengaluru model. It’s carving out a new one—a more balanced, resilient, and inclusive path to global capability building.
To make sense of this transformation, CII and Zinnov’s new report, “Coimbatore Rising: A New Blueprint for GCC Expansion“, offers a grounded, data-backed view of the city’s readiness. It brings together insights on talent, cost, policy, and real-world success stories, giving leaders the clarity they need to make informed decisions.
It also presents a practical playbook:
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