“Kolkata Offers Low Operating Costs & Exceptional Talent”: State’s Potential Takes Centre Stage
Kolkata’s growing relevance in India’s Global Capability Centre (GCC) ecosystem came into sharp focus at a special session themed ‘Bengal Poised to Lead: Kolkata: India’s Eastern Gateway for GCCs’ during the CII West Bengal Annual Meeting & Conference held in Kolkata on Monday. The discussion highlighted how India’s GCC landscape is entering a new phase, marked by stronger talent ecosystems, deeper leadership capabilities, and a clear shift toward long-term value creation. The session explored how best practices can be fostered, how collaboration between industry, academia, and government can be strengthened, and how policy advocacy, talent development, and innovation can further deepen the city’s GCC ecosystem.
A key highlight of the session was the unveiling of the CII-VisionSync Status Paper titled ‘Kolkata: India’s Eastern Gateway for GCCs’, which outlines a strategic roadmap for positioning the city as a preferred destination for global enterprises seeking sustainable and high-value operations. The session also witnessed the announcement of the CII West Bengal State GCC Council, which will serve as a dedicated platform to drive engagement, knowledge sharing, and policy advocacy for strengthening the GCC ecosystem in the region.
Mr. Rahul Singh, Vice President—Software Engineering, Visteon India, added, ‘Accessing talent was initially a significant challenge, but we have since implemented targeted recruitment strategies and partnerships with local educational institutions to enhance our talent pool. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find exceptional talent in Kolkata, enabling us to double our recruitment numbers. Increasingly, professionals are expressing a desire to return to the city.
We look forward to harnessing more such talent and contributing meaningfully to Kolkata’s economic growth through Global Capability Centers (GCCs). GCCs are specialized facilities that provide services and support to businesses, often focusing on specific functions, like IT or customer service.
Echoing the broader theme of opportunity creation and collaborative growth, industry leaders shared their perspectives on Kolkata’s emerging strengths and future potential. “Kolkata offers the advantage of low operating costs, which is highly conducive to scaling operations. Some of the country’s finest institutions produce exceptional talent that requires effective absorption, contributing to the city’s strong academic density. The availability of resources, robust digital connectivity, and a growing talent corridor make Kolkata an extremely valuable destination for Global Capability Centers (GCCs), which are specialized facilities that provide services and support to businesses globally. These pillars collectively position Kolkata as a compelling choice that must feature prominently on the GCC map,” noted Recha Paliwal, co-founder, VisionSync.
“Every place has its challenges; how we turn them around defines our value proposition. Kolkata holds distinct advantages in healthcare and engineering, along with significant investment and opportunities in the manufacturing sector. By fostering synergy across sectors and leveraging these strengths strategically, Kolkata can position itself for sustained and inclusive success,” highlighted Mr. Anirvan Mukherjee, Partner, NMDCon. Organizations must focus on hiring for value, not volume, and investing in nurturing talent to ensure stronger retention. This is an area that requires sustained attention and strategic focus,” stated Mr. Ratnadeep Banerjee, Site Head, Asia S/w R&D – Lexmark International (India) Pvt. Ltd. “Kolkata must define its own unique value proposition; it does not need to replicate models such as Pune or Bengaluru. A competitive yet collaborative ecosystem should be fostered to drive sustainable growth and innovation in the city,” said Mr. Sameek Roychoudhuri, SVP, Head of Global Risk Analytics, HSBC.
