IT services company NTT DATA has launched the Global Capability Centre (GCC) Innovation Acceleration Programme aimed at helping multinational companies establish and scale offshore innovation hubs in India.
The programme is designed to support more than 50 global companies over the next three years in setting up and expanding strategic offshore operations, including GCCs and innovation and delivery hubs.
The initiative, launched in October 2025, focuses on helping companies move quickly from establishing GCCs to building innovation capabilities within them, the company said in a release.
According to an NTT DATA report, India’s GCC ecosystem is expected to grow nearly 70% to reach $110 billion by 2030, up from $65 billion currently. The report also projected the number of centres to exceed 2,500 with a workforce of nearly 4.5 million professionals by the end of the decade.
Through the programme, NTT DATA will support companies across the GCC lifecycle, including planning, governance design, talent development, and process optimisation.
The initiative will also focus on accelerating innovation by deploying advanced technologies such as agentic AI, generative AI, high-performance computing, digital twins, smart robotics, blockchain, and the company’s IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network) architecture.
In addition, the programme will promote co-creation research and development, supporting projects from proof-of-concept through to commercialisation using the company’s global network of innovation centres.
NTT DATA Executive Managing Director - India Avinash Joshi said that while GCCs in India are increasingly becoming innovation hubs, large-scale AI adoption within them remains limited. The programme attempts to address this gap.
“NTT DATA brings the expertise, platforms and global innovation ecosystem needed to help organisations rapidly scale AI and unlock tangible business value,” he said in a statement.
The company said it has already been working with several GCCs and innovation hubs in India, including at the Bengaluru-based GCC of Unilever, where it supported the development of a global innovation strategy and the use of advanced R&D technologies.
Amit Tawani, Lead IT Manager, R&D IT, Unilever GCC Hub Bengaluru India, added the collaboration aims to support innovation across the consumer goods major’s global research teams.
“This partnership allows us to harness advanced technologies, streamline innovation processes and deliver future-fit solutions for Unilever globally,” he noted.
NTT DATA is also working with DENSO International India on digital platform development for mobility circular economy and integrated manufacturing initiatives, as well as with a global automotive manufacturer on projects involving digital twin technology and process optimisation.
“GCCs are expected to evolve into an important base that supports the competitiveness of global companies,” Hiroshi Furukawa, Head of NTT DATA Innovation Center, said.
“Through the GCC Innovation Acceleration Program, NTT DATA will utilise the strength of its global workforce of over 190,000, along with its broad technology portfolio, to advance co-creation R&D with a diverse range of clients and accelerate the creation of new value.”
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