New Investment Strategy Positions Maharashtra to Overtake Southern States in GCC Inflows

Maharashtra Sets Bold GCC Investment Plan to Outpace Southern States

In a sweeping new strategy that signals a renewed ambition to reclaim its leadership in India’s technology and services ecosystem, Maharashtra has rolled out an expansive GCC-focused investment plan aimed at overtaking southern competitors such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. With the unveiling of the Maharashtra GCC Policy 2025, the state has positioned itself to attract a larger share of multinational investments, strengthen its digital economy, and create substantial high-skilled employment over the next five years.

The centrepiece of this strategy is India’s first dedicated ‘GCC City’, to be developed near the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. Planned for launch by March–April 2026, the first phase will accommodate 10–15 large and mid-sized Global Capability Centres, with long-term capacity for up to 100 centres. The GCC City will offer an integrated ecosystem backed by modern infrastructure, competitive rentals, and streamlined onboarding for multinational companies.

Kaustubh Dhavse, chief adviser on investments and strategy to the chief minister, emphasised that the state aims to become India’s number one destination for GCCs within three years. He highlighted that Maharashtra already hosts more than 750 GCCs, contributing significantly to the state’s economy and talent ecosystem. “We expect every ₹1 crore in new investment to generate one direct and one indirect job. Our target is to create 400,000 jobs by 2030,” he said.

GCC City in Navi Mumbai to Anchor Maharashtra’s New Investment Strategy

The new GCC City is being developed through a recently signed MoU with ANSR, a leading global GCC establishment and management firm backed by Accenture, Accel Partners, ServiceNow, HDFC Bank, and other major investors. Under this partnership, ANSR will conceptualise, design, and invest in the development of the GCC City—setting the stage for a large-scale corporate hub that integrates workspace design, business operations, and talent sourcing.

According to ANSR co-founder Vikram Ahuja, the GCC City is expected to attract “market-leading companies” from sectors such as BFSI, retail, logistics, engineering R&D, and pharmaceuticals. Early adopters have already been identified, he said, noting that Maharashtra is witnessing an unprecedented pace in GCC openings, with “a new GCC being set up almost every day.”

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Why Navi Mumbai Offers a Strategic Edge for GCC Investments

Navi Mumbai’s location between the Mumbai–Pune corridors, coupled with major upcoming infrastructure projects such as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) and the international airport, positions it as a strategic hub for GCC expansion.

According to Peush Jain, Managing Director at ANAROCK, Navi Mumbai offers 20–30% lower rentals compared to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai—dramatically boosting cost efficiency for global firms. The region also has a strong talent base, supported by growing tech and BFSI clusters in Airoli and Ghansoli, making it ideal for IT, AI/ML, finance, and data analytics operations.

Inside Maharashtra’s New GCC Policy 2025

The Maharashtra GCC Policy 2025, launched on September 30, aims to bring 400 new GCCs by FY2030, diversify investments across emerging cities, and create a globally competitive business environment. The policy is intentionally more aggressive than those of Karnataka and Telangana, offering:

• 20% capital subsidy or 10–20% rental subsidy for five years

• Payroll incentives and reduced power tariffs

• 5% interest subsidy on term loans

• Special incentives for research and development

• Land subsidies for IT and GCC projects, a first for the state

Eligibility begins at a minimum investment of ₹50 crore or 100 employees, scaling up to the ‘ultra mega GCC’ category for companies investing above ₹750 crore with more than 1,000 employees.

Dhavse noted that GCCs typically start small—“about 150 people”—but can scale rapidly to 1,000 employees within two years. This fast expansion cycle makes the GCC sector highly attractive for Maharashtra’s employment and economic growth goals.

Tier-2 Cities Emerge as the New GCC Growth Engines

While Mumbai and Pune will continue attracting large-scale GCCs, Maharashtra is now pushing its Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities into the global capability map. Cities such as Nagpur, Nashik, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar already have strong educational infrastructure and industrial parks, and are becoming preferred destinations for cost-efficient operations.

Nagpur is attracting companies in solar cell design, logistics and analytics, while Nashik’s industrial base and proximity to Mumbai offer advantages for pharma, engineering and support services. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is emerging as an automotive manufacturing and GCC hotspot, with companies like Toyota Kirloskar, Ather, and JSW committing substantial investments.

A New Competitive Phase for India’s GCC Landscape

Industry leaders note that while Bengaluru and Hyderabad will remain major GCC hubs, Maharashtra’s aggressive strategy will intensify national competition. Many multinational firms are shifting to a “plus one” GCC strategy, maintaining large centres in metro cities while simultaneously expanding into Tier-2 locations such as Kochi, Trivandrum, and Ahmedabad.

“The birth of GCCs happened in Maharashtra years ago,” Ahuja said. “Now, with new incentives and infrastructure, the state is catching up and poised for a major resurgence.”

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