India's global capability centres are moving decisively up the value chain, with senior industry leaders saying the country is increasingly being used not just for delivery and support, but for product creation aimed at global customers. At TechSparks 2026, executives from Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India, Siemens Healthineers and Lufthansa Systems India described a shift in mindset that could reshape how multinational companies use India-based teams.
The discussion reflected a broader transformation underway across the GCC landscape. For years, India's appeal rested on cost efficiency, scale and engineering talent. That model remains important, but it is no longer sufficient. Companies are now asking their India centres to own products, solve complex domain problems and contribute directly to global innovation pipelines. The message from the panel was clear: India's competitive edge is increasingly about capability, not just capacity.
From Delivery To Ownership
The most significant change, according to the leaders, is the move from task execution to end-to-end ownership. India-based teams are being entrusted with more strategic mandates, including product design, platform development, digital transformation and customer-facing innovation. That shift is especially visible in sectors such as automotive, healthcare and aviation, where software, data and user experience are becoming central to competitiveness.
Executives said this evolution is being driven by a combination of factors: the maturity of India's engineering talent pool, the rise of digital-first business models and the need for multinational firms to innovate faster across markets. In this environment, GCCs are no longer peripheral units. They are becoming core nodes in global product strategy.
Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India was cited as an example of how India can contribute to high-value automotive innovation, while Siemens Healthineers highlighted the role of India in healthcare technology development. Lufthansa Systems India, meanwhile, underscored how aviation software and digital systems can be built from India for international deployment. Together, the examples pointed to a common trend: India is increasingly being trusted with work that has direct commercial and strategic impact.
Building For Global Markets
The panel also emphasised that building for global markets requires more than technical skill. It demands a deep understanding of user needs, regulatory environments and industry-specific constraints. That is where local problem-solving becomes a strategic advantage. India-based teams, the speakers suggested, are often well placed to combine technical depth with frugal innovation, speed and adaptability.
This matters because the global market is becoming more competitive and more fragmented. Companies are under pressure to launch products faster, customise offerings for different regions and manage rising complexity across supply chains and digital ecosystems. GCCs in India are increasingly being positioned as centres that can help multinational firms respond to those pressures with agility.
The conversation at TechSparks 2026 also reflected a larger ambition within India's startup and innovation ecosystem. As GCCs move closer to product ownership, they create new opportunities for collaboration with startups, research institutions and domestic technology vendors. That could deepen India's role not only as a services hub, but as a source of intellectual property and product innovation.
For India, the implications are significant. A stronger GCC ecosystem can support higher-value job creation, deepen technical expertise and strengthen the country's position in global innovation networks. It also signals a shift in how multinational companies view India: not merely as a place to execute global plans, but as a place to originate them.
The Next GCC Phase
The next phase of GCC growth will likely depend on whether India can sustain this move into product-led work. That will require continued investment in talent, stronger leadership pipelines and greater autonomy for local teams. It will also require companies to trust India centres with more decision-making power, rather than treating them as extensions of headquarters.
The panel's broader message was that India's GCC story is entering a more ambitious chapter. The country is no longer competing only on labour arbitrage or scale. It is competing on innovation, ownership and the ability to build products that travel across markets. If that trajectory continues, India's GCCs could become one of the most important engines of global product development in the years ahead.