Commercial
Why GCCs Are Doubling Down on Bengaluru’s Premium Corridors?
December 12, 2025
Global Capability Centres (GCCs) have become the most significant growth engines in India’s commercial real estate market. As of mid-2025, India is home to over half of the world’s GCCs, with Bengaluru leading the charge. Nearly one-third of the country’s GCC leasing footprint is anchored in this city, with 2024 alone seeing about 9.3 million sq ft of fresh activity in the sector.
And that momentum is gravitating towards Bengaluru’s premium corridors. Outer Ring Road (ORR), Whitefield and North Bengaluru are seeing a higher share of large-format, Grade-A office spaces by GCCs than ever before. Bengaluru’s micro-markets have absorbed more than a third of India’s GCC demand since 2021, setting the tone for what 2026 and beyond may look like for this fast-evolving ecosystem.
What Are GCCs and Why Do They Matter for India’s Office Market?
GCCs, or Global Capability Centres, are offshore units established by multinational corporations to manage strategic functions such as technology, finance, engineering, analytics, and customer experience. India has become the most favored location for GCCs due to its large and deep talent pool, lower costs, and growing experience in global delivery.
Global Capability Centres are not back-office operations anymore; they are the centers of innovation and digital transformation. They require modern, high-tech workspaces that mirror their changing functions in the global value chain, which eventually leads to the demand for high-quality, large office spaces with advanced technological infrastructure.
The Scale of GCC Demand
India’s office leasing market is poised to touch 28 million sq ft in 2025. Of this, GCCs are expected to account for over 40%, confirming their dominance as occupiers of high-quality workspace. Bengaluru continues to be at the centre of this wave, with a projected 35% share of total GCC leasing across the country.
With the city already housing over 40% of India’s existing GCC stock, this next phase of growth is no longer about expansion alone. It’s also about consolidation, hybrid work model adoption, and long-term bets on resilient ecosystems. And Bengaluru’s premium corridors are at the heart of these decisions.
Why Bengaluru’s Premium Corridors Are the Target for GCCs?
Talent and Ecosystem Advantage
Bengaluru remains India’s deepest tech and digital talent market. Its skilled workforce spans IT, analytics, financial services, product engineering, and more. Many of India’s top engineering colleges, research institutions, and startup incubators are located here. The agglomeration of talent and innovation is, therefore, a major attraction for the global companies who aim to acquire and retain the best global talent.
Leading international corporations such as Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Wells Fargo, and Teva have made the decision to enlarge their presence in this area. The policies and readiness for business in the city have so far made it a favorable place for offshore centers dealing with AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation.
Infrastructure and Corridor Appeal
In the case of choosing Bengaluru as the location for their global capability centers (GCCs), companies will often specify a few top corridors with high performance. The three locations that always get the highest ranks are: Outer Ring Road (ORR), Whitefield, and North Bengaluru (especially Hebbal and Yelahanka). The business centers located in these areas boast of plenty of Grade-A office spaces, plus they are very close to the top quality residential areas, schools, hospitals, and amenities for the hospitality industry.
Colliers reports that the ORR corridor in Bengaluru and Hyderabad's Secondary Business District (SBD) are the primary drivers of demand, contributing nearly 38% of India’s total GCC leasing since 2021. These locations also provide access to ongoing infrastructure development, including metro lines, ring roads, and large, campus-format spaces suitable for global standards of workplace design.
Why Premium Matters? Grade A, Customisation and Scale
As GCCs scale up and mature, they demand more than just seats. Companies search for built-to-suit offices that correspond with their tech stack, security measures, and cultural wants. A lot of them prefer LEED-certified locations, blended zones for business continuity, and wellness-oriented facilities.
Bengaluru’s premium corridors offer this mix. Several developments here, including Brigade Tech Gardens and Brigade Opus, are already catering to global tenants with flexible, high-spec infrastructure. The availability of plug-and-play spaces, as well as customisation options, makes these corridors ideal for long-term GCC anchoring.
What also tips the balance is India’s cost arbitrage versus Western markets, especially for high-value roles. Combined with a maturing regulatory framework, including Karnataka’s upcoming GCC policy, the corridor proposition becomes even stronger.
Infrastructure Bottlenecks and Emerging Competition
There are constraints. The ORR corridor faces peak-time traffic bottlenecks and saturation concerns. The ORR Metro and STRR are promising new infrastructure developments which will solve this problem, but still, there is short-term pressure.
Meanwhile, other areas such as North Bengaluru and Sarjapur Extension are increasing their importance. Their relatively lower prices, new and clean lands and closeness to modern transport fit them as good alternatives. But ORR's advantage, which has been built over years of ecosystem development, is still hard to overcome.
What does this Means for Corporates, Developers and Investors?
For Corporates
For global occupiers, location is about more than just real estate. Premium corridors offer employer branding advantages, better workforce productivity, and smoother logistics. The average commute time for GCC staff in Bengaluru is 50 minutes for a 15 km stretch. That's significant operational friction.
This is why many corporations are locking in space early, often via pre-leases. This enables them to manage, scale and save in the long run. The migration from cost-first to experience-first workplace design has also made it easier for occupiers to choose campuses rather than standalone buildings.
For Developers and Investors
The steady demand from GCCs is resulting in these corridors to be Grade-A developments attracting a premium. With lower vacancy rates, more stable rents and high tenant stickiness real estate developers are able to provide personalized campuses, sustainability and ESG credentials, and integrated amenities are experiencing higher leasing spreads.
There’s also increased institutional interest in micro-markets like Hebbal and Whitefield. Beyond Bengaluru, Tier-2 cities like Mysuru and Coimbatore are being explored for satellite GCC hubs. These regions offer fresh investment opportunities for future-ready workspaces.
Outlook for 2026 and Beyond, What to Watch
GCC leasing is projected to grow 15–20% over the next two years. The direction of this trajectory will be determined by the increasing AI-oriented skills, the coming of different types of hybrid working models, and the drive for sustainability along with ESG-compatible facilities.
The city of Bengaluru's supply chain consisting of high-end locations is projected to be in line with the transport infrastructure developments, particularly with metro, expressway, and suburban rail projects finishing soon. Regulatory support such as the Karnataka GCC Policy will further ease entry and corporate expansion.
Risks remain a rising costs, infrastructure lags, and the competitive rise of Hyderabad and Pune. But Bengaluru’s deep-rooted advantages will likely hold its lead, especially for GCCs focused on quality, scale and continuity.
Bengaluru’s Premium Corridors: The Strategic Choice for GCCs
Bengaluru’s position in India’s GCC story is built on more than just availability. Its premium corridors combine access to talent ecosystem, infrastructure depth, and commercial real estate market maturity into a high-value package.
For corporations, building global hubs, for real estate developers designing future-ready workspaces, and for investors seeking long-term resilience these corridors represent strategic value. They’re not just Bengaluru’s high streets. They’re India’s new economic engine rooms.
FAQs
1. GCCs are most concentrated in the following areas or corridors in Bengaluru?
The areas with the highest concentration of GCCs in Bengaluru are the Outer Ring Road, Whitefield, Hebbal, Yelahanka, and parts of North Bengaluru.
2. Why will the GCCs expand in Bengaluru in 2026?
Such factors as the abundance of skilled labor, the infrastructure already there along the corridors, the new metro lines, and the nice government policies are driving forces behind the expansion.
3. What makes the Outer Ring Road and Whitefield prime locations for GCC offices?
High concentration of Grade-A stock, large integrated campuses, proximity to residential zones, and access to future-ready connectivity.
4. Are other Indian cities competing with Bengaluru for GCC investments?
Yes. Hyderabad, Pune, and NCR are rising fast, but Bengaluru continues to lead in depth, scale, and global occupier preference.
Resources
https://www.colliers.com/en-in/news/press-release-gccs-in-indiahttps://www.deccanherald.com/business/indias-gcc-boom-road-ahead-not-free-of-hurdles-3335588https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/gcc-staff-in-bengaluru-hyderabad-ncr-spend-5-of-lifetime-commuting-report/articleshow/120353357.cms?from=mdrhttps://www.freepressjournal.in/business/india-records-329-gcc-leasing-deals-in-2024-bengaluru-hyderabad-chennai-lead-knight-frankhttps://www.hindustantimes.com/real-estate/bengaluru-leads-leasing-by-global-capability-centres-in-india-with-40-share-between-2022-to-h1-2024-report-101722848517903.html
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