BENGALURU – The sharp increase in H-1B visa fees and tightening US visa regulations under President Donald Trump’s administration is accelerating the shift of critical US corporate operations to India’s Global Capability Centers (GCCs). Industry experts say this trend will turbocharge GCC growth, transforming India from a traditional tech support destination into a global hub for high-value strategic functions including AI, R&D, cybersecurity, and product development.
India currently hosts around 1,700 GCCs, accounting for more than half of such centers globally, with Bengaluru alone housing nearly 875 centers. These GCCs employ over 1.9 million professionals and generate major economic value across sectors such as finance, technology, retail, healthcare, and manufacturing. Projections indicate growth to over 2,200 GCCs by 2030, growing at an annual rate of 11-12%, with market size expected to approach $100 billion.
The recent hike in H-1B visa application fees, from a range of $2,000-$5,000 to a flat $100,000, and congressional efforts to tighten visa rules have caused US companies to reconsider reliance on skilled foreign workers in the US. Many are now strategically shifting core and innovative operations in-house to Indian GCCs, taking advantage of India’s vast talent pool, competitive costs, digital infrastructure, and rising capabilities in emerging technologies.
Leaders from Deloitte India and GCC industry veterans emphasize that GCCs in India are uniquely positioned as resilient innovation engines ready to take on more strategic mandates. This shift also aligns with broader economic trends favoring operational resilience and location diversification, highlighting India’s emergence as a trusted global innovation and leadership hub.
While some US firms monitor the evolving policies cautiously due to potential outsourcing taxes and geopolitical tensions, the overall momentum towards greater GCC presence in India remains strong, signaling a new era of global corporate growth anchored in India’s expanding talent and innovation ecosystem.