Hyderabad, February 25, 2025 – India is rapidly cementing its status as a global powerhouse in healthcare innovation, with the Life Sciences and Healthcare (LSHC) Global Capability Centers (GCCs) sector projected to exceed 2,500 centers and employ over 4.5 million professionals by the end of this year, according to a new whitepaper unveiled by Healthark at Pre-BioAsia 2025. Titled LSHC GCC Outlook 2025, the report forecasts the sector’s value to soar past $100 billion by 2030, driven by India’s vast talent pool, cost advantages, and a flourishing ecosystem for research and operational excellence.
The report spotlights Hyderabad as a rising star in this transformation, alongside Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Pune, which collectively account for 75% of the sector’s workforce. In 2024 alone, GCCs in Hyderabad snapped up 24.8 million square feet of commercial space—a dramatic leap from 9.1 million in 2022—boosting their share of the city’s commercial leasing from 13% to 28%. This surge reflects Hyderabad’s growing appeal, bolstered by government initiatives like Genome Valley, Pharma City, and the Telangana AI Mission (T-AIM).
“GCCs are a vital engine of economic growth, opening doors for startups through pilot projects and work orders,” said Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary of Telangana’s IT and Industries & Commerce Departments. “With 800 GCCs expected across India this year, Hyderabad is poised to lead, already hosting over 110 Forbes Global 2000 GCCs and employing more than 190,000 professionals.”
The whitepaper highlights a seismic shift in how GCCs operate, with 90% of new setups favoring provider-assisted or Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) models for their flexibility and scalability. Between 2021 and 2024, nearly half of India’s GCCs adopted provider-assisted services, a trend expected to intensify as companies tap into specialized talent and advanced technologies like AI and automation.
Shakthi M. Nagappan, Telangana’s Director of Life Sciences and Pharma, emphasized the role of innovation: “With India’s AI and big data talent pool projected to hit 633,000 by year-end and a national goal of 30 million digitally skilled workers by 2026, Telangana is spearheading advancements in AI-driven drug discovery, genomics, and real-world evidence analytics.” Notably, 43% of the LSHC GCC workforce now focuses on core healthcare and R&D functions.
Global giants like Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis, Evernorth, and Sanofi are doubling down on India, using GCCs for drug discovery, clinical trials, regulatory support, and data analytics. Healthark Co-Founder Sudeep Krishna noted, “The number of LSHC GCCs is expected to jump from 100 in 2024 to over 160 by 2030, with a workforce exceeding 420,000. Over 70% of small molecule chemistry projects in these centers already leverage AI, and adoption of digital therapeutics and regulatory automation is accelerating.”
Looking ahead, the report predicts a pivot toward compact, agile GCCs, with over 60% of new setups by 2030 expected to be hybrid or fully digital-first, harnessing AI, automation, and cloud solutions. “India’s unique blend of technological prowess and cost efficiency—where companies spend 30-50% more in their home markets—is driving this boom,” said Dr. Purav Gandhi, Healthark’s founder and CEO. “From 2021 to 2024, 81% of GCCs prioritized regulatory compliance, and the rise of compact centers specializing in AI diagnostics and genomics is redefining India’s global role.”
With the number of Forbes Global 2000 companies operating GCCs in India set to climb 44% to over 650 by 2030, the LSHC GCC Outlook 2025 paints a compelling picture of a sector poised to reshape global healthcare—and India’s place in it.
