Mumbai, Oct. 8 -- Coimbatore could nearly triple its global capability centre (GCC) base to 200 by 2032 from more than 75 currently, according to an EY-CII report. The city could add about 125 GCCs over the next six years by leveraging its engineering talent, industrial ecosystem and competitive operating costs.
The report said Coimbatore has a population of about 3.8 mn and a technology workforce exceeding 300,000. Its education ecosystem includes 137 engineering colleges and produces more than 30,000 science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates each year, providing a sizeable talent pool for technology and engineering-led operations.
Coimbatore could attract companies seeking a second location alongside GCCs in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune. Such a strategy could reduce concentration risks and provide access to new talent pools, while also attracting competitors, suppliers and industry peers of companies already operating centres in the city.
Existing GCCs could provide another source of expansion, the report said. Many centres remain at relatively early stages and could increase employee numbers, broaden their functions and assume higher-value global mandates. Over time, some could develop into centres of excellence, product and platform ownership teams, and global hubs. About 60 per cent of existing centres are focused on engineering research and development, making diversification into adjacent global functions a priority.
The report identified workforce stability, engineering expertise, academic institutions, competitive office costs and Tamil Nadu's GCC incentives as supporting factors. Coimbatore has also developed innovation infrastructure, including SNS iHub. However, expansion could be constrained by shortages of senior and specialist talent in advanced artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, weaker international connectivity, a smaller ecosystem than established metros, limited large Grade A office space and infrastructure pressures as employment grows.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.