Ahmedabad-GIFT City zone emerges as Tier-II magnet for global capability centres

AHMEDABAD: The Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar-GIFT City belt is rapidly rising as India's most promising Tier-II zone for global capability centres (GCCs), fuelled by infrastructure, state incentives and a growing pool of skilled talent. According to an Aug 2024 report by global consulting firm Zinnov, Ahmedabad ranks No. 1 among 20 Tier-II cities in ecosystem favourability for GCCs.
Already home to over 35 GCCs and global in-house centres (GICs), 25+ service providers, and more than 60 startups, Ahmedabad has become the largest GCC hub outside India's Tier-I metros. GIFT City, in particular, has become a magnet for global firms eyeing high-value innovation, IT, and back-office operations. In the past year, new entrants such as Infineon Technologies, a chipmaker, and Technip Energies, an energy transition firm, set up under the non-financial services (Non-FS) category, joining established players like IBM, Oracle, Capgemini, Google, TCS, Infosys, and Wipro. Sources told TOI that Telus Digital is also expected to join the league.

"GIFT City IFSC offers a 10-year tax holiday under Section 80LA — the only such benefit in India. Add to that Gujarat's industry-friendly policies, reduced stamp duty, discounted power tariffs, and PF reimbursements of up to 100% for women, and the zone is a compelling proposition," said Jaiman Patel, Partner, EY.
With more than 850 IFSC units and 25% annual growth, GIFT City's appeal continues to rise. The zone's regulatory clarity, scalability, and business-ready infrastructure are drawing major multinationals including Bank of America, SP Global, Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Kraft Heinz, and Thomson Reuters.
Policies like the Gujarat Semiconductor Policy 2022-27 and the recently introduced GCC Policy have further fuelled interest from tech and ESDM players, offering targeted subsidies and faster project clearances. "GIFT City is emerging as a robust GCC base, offering sustainable infrastructure, strong policy support, and ease of doing business," said Tapan Ray, MD & Group CEO, GIFT City. "We are also building partnerships with global universities and rolling out skill programmes to ensure a steady talent pipeline."
While entry-level talent availability is strong, experts acknowledge the need for companies to nurture mid- and senior-level professionals. However, the region scores high on quality of life, affordability, safety, and overall ease of living — factors that increasingly matter in global location strategy.
Technip Energies is one of the recent global players to bet on the region. "Our GIFT City office, Technip Energies' fourth base in India, exceeded expectations," said B V Ramanakumar, director of the Ahmedabad operating centre. "With strong engineering talent, proximity to key clients like Reliance and Adani, and solid infrastructure, we are onboarding 50–60 employees a month and are on track to hit 400 by Q4. GIFT City's support, especially in securing additional space, has been excellent."
As more companies evaluate India's next wave of opportunity, the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar-GIFT City belt is making a strong case, offering Tier-I aspirations with Tier-II economics.
Box:
India's hottest Tier-II GCC hub
Ecosystem at a glance
- 35+ global capability centres (GCCs) & global in-house centres (GICs)
- 25+ IT & business service providers
- 60+ startups driving innovation
- 850+ IFSC units (International Financial Services Centre)
- 25% YoY growth in IFSC units
- Top-ranked Tier-II city in India for GCC ecosystem favourability (Zinnov, Aug 2024)
What's driving the growth?
- 10-year tax holiday under Section 80LA at GIFT IFSC – only such benefit in India
- Gujarat govt incentives
- Reduced stamp duty
- Discounted power tariffs
- 100% PF reimbursement for women hires
- World-class infrastructure and scalable office spaces
- Affordable housing in Gandhinagar; Better quality of life