GCC Nexus · GCC Setup Guide 2026
Set Up a GCC in India.
The complete guide for global companies.
Quick answer
Setting up a Global Capability Center in India costs $150,000–$500,000 in year one for a team of 20–50 engineers and gets your first engineer operational in 2–4 weeks — delivering 40–65% cost savings versus equivalent US or UK hiring. GCC Nexus manages entity setup, office, leadership hiring, engineering recruitment and all India operations end to end. Source: GCC Nexus GCC Setup Guide 2026, NASSCOM data.2–4 wks
To first hire
40–65%
Cost saving vs US/UK
1,750+
GCCs in India (NASSCOM)
~6M
Tech professionals
Fully owned by your company — not outsourcing
100% IP ownership from day one
Top 25% engineering talent only
Entity, office, HR, payroll — fully managed
Why India
Why 1,750+ global companies have built GCCs in India
India is not just a cost play. It is the world's deepest engineering talent market outside the US — with a proven GCC ecosystem and infrastructure built over 25 years.
~6M
Tech professionals
India's IT-BPM workforce — NASSCOM FY2026
1,750+
GCCs operating
Goldman Sachs, Google, JPMorgan, Walmart — all validated India
40–65%
Cost saving
vs US or UK total employer cost at top 25% talent bracket
English
Working language
Engineering education and corporate culture — entirely in English
The GCC Nexus positioning: Most GCCs fail not because India is wrong, but because they hire from the wrong talent bracket. The market median blends IT services engineers into the average. GCC Nexus recruits exclusively from India's top 25% — engineers from funded startups, product MNCs and established GCC companies. The cost difference between median and top 25% is 30–40%. The quality difference is transformational.
How it works
GCC setup process — first hire in 2–4 weeks
GCC Nexus runs recruitment, onboarding and entity registration in parallel. Your first engineer is live in 2–4 weeks. Full team onboarded within 8 weeks.
1
Day 1–3
Define scope, functions and team size
Which engineering functions will your GCC own? What team size are you targeting in year one and year three? Which roles are day-one critical vs phase-two additions? What is the reporting structure to global leadership?
GCC Nexus: talent market assessment, city recommendation, year-one cost modelling
2
Day 3–5
City selection — Bangalore, Hyderabad or Pune
City selection depends on your primary engineering function, cost targets and talent availability. Bangalore has the deepest talent pool at the highest cost. Hyderabad is 10–15% cheaper with comparable depth. Pune is strong for fintech and enterprise engineering.
GCC Nexus: city-by-city talent availability report, office shortlisting, infrastructure assessment
3
Day 4–14
Talent search begins — top 25% only
Targeted sourcing across Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and NCR — exclusively from funded startups, product MNCs and GCC companies. All candidates pass a two-stage technical and culture screen before you see them. Entity registration runs in parallel — no waiting.
GCC Nexus: sourcing, technical pre-screen, culture fit, background verification
4
Week 2–3
You interview and choose
You receive 5–8 shortlisted profiles per role. Run your own technical assessments. GCC Nexus schedules and coordinates. You make the final hiring decision — no one joins your team without your approval.
GCC Nexus: interview scheduling, candidate briefing, offer benchmarking
5
Week 3–4
First engineer operational
Employment contract, payroll setup, PF, health insurance, workspace and equipment — all handled in parallel with your interviews. Your engineer joins your Slack, your standups and your sprint from day one.
GCC Nexus: employment, payroll, compliance, workspace, IT, onboarding logistics
6
Week 4–8
Team buildout — scale to target headcount
Remaining roles run in parallel. GCC Nexus shortlists 5–8 candidates per role within 10–14 days of brief. A team of 5–10 engineers is typically fully onboarded within 6–8 weeks from the first hire going live.
GCC Nexus: parallel hiring tracks, bulk onboarding, workspace scaling
7
Week 6+ (ongoing)
Operations — fully managed, permanently
HR processes, payroll cadence, performance review cycles, compliance reporting and team engagement programmes all established. GCC Nexus provides a dedicated Partner Success Manager who gives your leadership full visibility into India operations at all times.
GCC Nexus: ongoing HR, payroll, compliance, culture, reporting — permanently managed
Cost breakdown
What does a GCC setup in India actually cost?
Year-one cost for a team of 20 engineers at the top 25% talent bracket. Engineering salaries are the primary ongoing cost — all other items are largely one-time.
| Cost component | Year 1 estimate (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entity setup and legal | $8,000–$15,000 | One-time. Pvt Ltd registration, legal counsel, bank setup |
| Office and infrastructure | $40,000–$80,000 | Managed office, IT, equipment, security for 20 engineers |
| Leadership hiring | $15,000–$30,000 | Country Head / Engineering Lead — recruitment + first year salary portion |
| Engineering team — 20 engineers (top 25%) | $880K–$1120K | Mix of senior ($46–58K) and mid ($25–35K) engineers, full year |
| HR, payroll and compliance | $20,000–$35,000 | PF, gratuity, group health insurance, TDS, compliance filing |
| GCC Nexus management fee | $30,000–$60,000 | Per headcount, covers all operations management |
| Total year-one cost (20 engineers) | $713,000–$1,120,000 | vs $3.6M–$5M for equivalent US team |
The right comparison: A team of 20 senior engineers in the US costs $3.6M–$5M per year in total employer cost. The same team in India through GCC Nexus costs $713K–$1.1M — a saving of $2.5M–$4M per year. The GCC setup cost pays back within the first quarter of operations.
Estimates based on GCC Nexus client engagements 2024–25. US comparison from Glassdoor USA and Levels.fyi 2025. Engineering salary figures use ₹90:$1 conversion.
City selection
Bangalore vs Hyderabad vs Pune — which city for your GCC?
City choice depends on your primary engineering function, not your home market.
Bangalore
Largest GCC hubCost index100 (benchmark)
GCCs operating500+
Tech talent poolLargest in India
Attrition rate18–22%
Best forAI/ML, deep tech, product
Hyderabad
Fastest growingCost index85–88 (12–15% lower)
GCCs operating200+
Tech talent poolVery large, growing fast
Attrition rate15–18%
Best forData, cloud, BFSI
Pune
Fintech & enterpriseCost index80–82 (18–20% lower)
GCCs operating150+
Tech talent poolLarge, strong backend
Attrition rate14–17%
Best forFintech, enterprise backend
GCC count estimates from NASSCOM 2024. Attrition from GCC Nexus hiring data 2024–25. Cost index vs Bangalore = 100.
Model comparison
GCC vs outsourcing vs EOR — which model is right?
Three ways global companies build engineering capability in India. Only one gives you a team that is truly yours.
GCC Nexus model
Dedicated managed GCC
IP ownership100% yours
Team loyaltyYour company only
Hiring decisionYou decide
Talent qualityTop 25% only
Cost saving40–65% vs US/UK
Speed to hire2–4 weeks
Outsourcing
Third-party delivery
IP ownershipOften contested
Team loyaltyVendor, not you
Hiring decisionVendor decides
Talent qualityMixed — often median
Cost saving30–50% vs US/UK
Speed to hireVariable
EOR / Staffing
Employer of record
IP ownershipUsually yours
Team loyaltyEOR relationship
Hiring decisionLimited control
Talent qualityBench stock — variable
Cost saving20–35% vs US/UK
Speed to hireDays to weeks
When GCC beats outsourcing: If you need engineers for more than 12 months, require IP ownership, want engineers who understand your product culture, or plan to scale beyond 10 people — a GCC delivers better outcomes at lower long-term cost than outsourcing. The break-even vs EOR is typically at 8–10 headcount.
FAQ
Common questions about GCC setup in India
From CTOs, CHROs and founders setting up their first India GCC.
Related
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GCC Nexus manages entity setup, office, engineering recruitment and all India operations. You focus on the product.