India has become the world’s largest destination for retail and FMCG global capability centres (GCCs), housing 180 such centres that collectively employ around 272,300 professionals, according to a TeamLease Digital report released on July 8.
The report estimates that India’s retail GCC ecosystem is now 34 percent larger than the combined markets of Poland, the Philippines, Mexico, Germany and Egypt.
India also stands ahead of all other major markets covered in the study in terms of artificial intelligence adoption within retail GCCs. AI penetration currently ranges between 5 and 7 percent of the sector’s workforce, placing the country ahead of Germany and every other peer market tracked in the report.
“The scale of retail GCC growth has accelerated in India. It is not just American retailers; European companies are also coming to India in large numbers. We are also seeing strong demand from Japanese and South Korean retailers,” Neeti Sharma, chief executive officer of TeamLease Digital, told Moneycontrol.
Sharma said the country's attractiveness is driven not only by its deep talent pool but also by business-friendly policies, tax incentives, comparatively lower infrastructure costs and continued government support, all of which have encouraged multinational companies to set up operations in India.
Among the 180 retail and FMCG GCCs operating in the country, nearly 130 are classified as nano GCCs, with each typically employing between 200 and 250 people. These facilities are located across Bengaluru, Mumbai, the National Capital Region, Pune and Hyderabad, while expansion has also extended to tier-II and tier-III cities such as Mangaluru.
The report projects continued growth for the sector, with an estimated 60-70 percent of existing nano GCCs expected to scale up their workforce and business operations over the coming years.
Some of the leading retail and FMCG companies running GCCs in India include Lowe’s, Tesco, H&M, Walmart Global Tech, Target, L’Oréal and AB InBev.
The rapid expansion of retail GCCs is also fuelling demand for professionals with expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Even with AI adoption increasing quickly, the report notes that only about 320 professionals across all 180 retail GCCs have more than eight years of AI experience, translating to fewer than two senior AI specialists per centre on average.
Bengaluru remains the primary hub for advanced AI work, accounting for 54 percent of the retail GCC AI talent pool. Hyderabad has emerged as the leading secondary destination for AI talent, while Pune is strengthening its position as a complementary engineering hub.
Recruitment across retail GCCs almost doubled between 2024 and 2025, resulting in more than 52,000 job openings last year, the report said.
Technology, customer success and supply chain operations currently make up roughly 60 percent of the retail GCC workforce. These three functions are projected to account for more than 80 percent of total hiring demand by 2028.
Within that, demand for technology and engineering professionals is expected to increase from approximately 25,100 positions in 2025 to 41,000 by 2028.
Sharma said professionals with specialised AI and technology capabilities are earning salaries that are 50-60 percent higher than those offered for equivalent conventional roles.
The report also found that over 90 percent of the 28,500 professionals recruited by retail GCCs during the past year came from outside the retail industry. IT services companies contributed 17.5 percent of those hires, followed by product firms at 14 percent and consulting firms at 10.5 percent.
The shortage of experienced AI talent has driven compensation sharply higher. According to the report, AI and machine learning professionals with three to six years of experience earn a median salary of Rs. 46 lakh, roughly double the market median. Those with six to ten years of experience receive a median salary of Rs. 68 lakh, while senior professionals with more than 15 years of experience and expertise spanning both AI and the retail domain can earn upwards of Rs. 1.2 crore annually.
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