from the White House is rapidly redrawing the global map of high-value corporate work. The Donald Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown on the H-1B skilled worker visa is widely expected by economists and industry insiders to accelerate a strategic shift of critical business functions—from advanced finance to research and development—from the United States to India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs).
This trend is set to turbocharge the growth of these in-house corporate hubs, elevating India’s role from a source of mere technical support to a center of high-value innovation. The world’s fifth-largest economy already hosts 1,700 GCCs, representing over half the global tally, handling complex mandates ranging from luxury car dashboard design to drug discovery.
The dual pressures of growing Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption and increasing visa restrictions are compelling U.S. firms to fundamentally reassess their labour strategies. GCCs in India are emerging as resilient and strategically critical hubs that blend a global skill pool with strong local leadership.
“GCCs are uniquely positioned for this moment. They serve as a ready in-house engine,” said Rohan Lobo, a partner and GCC industry leader at Deloitte India, noting that multiple U.S. firms are already reassessing their workforce needs. He confirmed that “plans are already underway” for this shift, particularly among firms in financial services and technology, and those with exposure to U.S. federal contracts. Lobo anticipates that GCCs will “take on more strategic, innovation-led mandates” over time.
The urgency stems directly from President Trump’s recent measure to dramatically raise the cost of new H-1B visa applications to $100,000, up from the existing range of $2,000 to $5,000. This hefty fee, along with plans for a new selection process favouring higher-paid workers, adds immense pressure on U.S. corporations that rely on skilled foreign talent to bridge critical domestic gaps.
Industry experts anticipate that if these curbs remain, U.S. firms will strategically choose to move high-end work—including AI, product development, cybersecurity, and advanced analytics—to their India GCCs, effectively opting to keep crucial strategic functions in-house rather than relying on external outsourcing vendors.
Lalit Ahuja, founder and CEO of ANSR, which has helped major corporations like FedEx and Target establish their GCCs, noted a distinct “sense of urgency” fuelled by the new policy uncertainty. Ramkumar Ramamoorthy, a former managing director of Cognizant India, suggested the rush could lead to “extreme offshoring” in some sectors, a feasibility proven during the COVID-19 pandemic when key tech tasks were performed remotely.
Major tech companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and Alphabet, along with Wall Street giants such as JPMorgan Chase and retailer Walmart, are among the top sponsors of H-1B visas and all maintain large operations in India. While these companies refrain from public comment on the politically sensitive issue, their internal strategies are clearly being reshaped.
This surge could propel India past its already high projections: before the visa changes, the country was expected to host over 2,200 GCCs by 2030, nearing a market size of $100 billion. Ahuja affirmed that this whole “gold rush will only get accelerated.”
However, the outlook is not without its clouds. Some industry voices are adopting a “wait and watch” approach, citing the risk posed by the proposed HIRE Act in the U.S., which could levy a 25 percent tax on work outsourced overseas. Should this legislation pass, it would significantly erode India’s low-cost advantage and disrupt the cross-border flow of services.
Nonetheless, Nomura analysts recently suggested that the surging demand for GCC services could cushion the blow to India’s $283-billion IT industry. The firm’s research noted that “Lost revenues from H-1B visa reliant businesses could be somewhat supplanted by higher services exports through GCCs, as U.S.-based firms look to bypass immigration restrictions to outsource talent.” Ultimately, a U.S. political move intended to protect domestic jobs appears set to inadvertently galvanize a more strategic, innovative, and valuable component of India’s digital economy.
