India Preferred Hub for Manufacturing, GCCs: Experts at Houston Roundtable

• Industry leaders said India is emerging as a preferred destination for advanced manufacturing and Global Capability Centres.

• More than 100 new GCCs are being set up annually across sectors such as technology, engineering, financial services and healthcare.

• The roundtable also focused on expanding India-US cooperation in trade, technology and innovation.

India’s policy reforms, skilled workforce, competitive costs and robust digital infrastructure are positioning the country as a preferred destination for advanced manufacturing and Global Capability Centres (GCCs), industry leaders said at a roundtable in Houston.

The event, titled “India Spotlight: Strategic Insights for Advanced Manufacturing and Global Capability Centres" was hosted on Thursday by the Consulate General of India in Houston.

It brought together business executives and industry experts to explore opportunities for expanding India-US economic collaboration.

Opening the session, Consul General of India in Houston D C Manjunath highlighted India's ongoing economic reforms, investor-friendly policies and incentive programmes aimed at strengthening the country's position as a global manufacturing and innovation hub.

Experts from ICICI Bank, JLL India and US-based engineering and technology firm KBR discussed the rapid growth of India's GCC ecosystem, noting that more than 100 new centres are being established annually across sectors ranging from technology and engineering to financial services and healthcare.

The panel, moderated by Kishan Kunal, head–MNC USA at ICICI Bank, featured Atul Jain of ICICI Bank, New York, Yogesh Shevade of JLL India and Natasha Frausto of KBR Inc.

Panellists underscored India's advantages, including a large pool of skilled talent, sector-specific industrial clusters, competitive state-level incentives, expanding physical and digital infrastructure, and government initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive scheme, which have strengthened the country's attractiveness for multinational investments.

They also highlighted the growing role of GCCs as strategic hubs for innovation, research, engineering and business operations, with India emerging as the world's leading GCC destination.

The roundtable facilitated discussions on strengthening India-US partnerships in trade, technology and innovation while showcasing opportunities for global companies looking to expand their footprint in India.

The Consulate General of India reaffirmed its commitment to promoting deeper commercial engagement and facilitating partnerships that contribute to the growing strategic and economic relationship between India and the US.