States » NorthPosted at: Oct 26 2026 10:02PM


CM Yogi sets 500-GCC target for UP, positions state as global hub for innovation and high-value jobs

Lucknow, Oct 26 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh strengthened its ambition to become a leading Global Capability Centre (GCC) destination with 15 MoUs signed with GCC companies and talent firms, five Letters of Comfort (LoCs) issued to prospective investors, and MoUs exchanged with 13 academic institutions at the UP GCC Innovation Summit 2026 in Lucknow on Monday.
Addressing global business leaders, investors and technology executives, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath outlined the state's vision of establishing 500 GCCs by 2031, positioning Uttar Pradesh as a centre for advanced technology, global business operations and high-value employment.
Organised by the IIT Kanpur Alumni Association in collaboration with Invest UP and HCLTech at Hotel The Centrum, the summit brought together industry leaders, policymakers, investors and technology partners to explore opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation, innovation and global business services.
The Chief Minister said Uttar Pradesh was emerging as a state of unlimited potential, backed by a strong industrial base, skilled talent, expanding infrastructure and investor-friendly policies.
Highlighting the state's transformation since 2017, he said decisive governance and transparent single-window clearances had improved the investment environment, strengthened investor confidence and helped Uttar Pradesh shed its 'BIMARU' tag and become a revenue-surplus state.
Presenting the state's industrial strengths, the Chief Minister highlighted its extensive expressway network, the country's largest rail network, five international airports and an industrial land bank exceeding 75,000 acres.
Uttar Pradesh also accounts for 55% of India's mobile manufacturing and 60% of its electronic components, reinforcing its position in the country's electronics and technology ecosystem.
“Uttar Pradesh is ready to move beyond conventional business operations and become a place where global enterprises innovate, design, engineer and lead. Our goal is to establish 500 GCCs by 2031 and create high-value employment opportunities for our youth. With a strong talent pool, modern office infrastructure and progressive policies, we are ready to welcome the world's leading companies,” the Chief Minister said.
The state has an estimated 6.7 lakh professionals, including three lakh technology and engineering professionals. More than 8,000 higher education institutions and over two lakh STEM graduates annually provide a strong talent pipeline.
Institutions such as IIT Kanpur, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, IIM Lucknow, IIIT Lucknow and MNNIT Prayagraj contribute expertise in engineering, AI, analytics and management.
The government is advancing its State AI Mission, deep-tech hubs, AI City and a robotics cluster. Supported by digital infrastructure, expressways, airports, freight corridors and multimodal logistics networks, these initiatives aim to attract AI-driven GCCs, product engineering operations, research and development facilities, and advanced business services.
Five Letters of Comfort were issued to Havells India Limited, Ameriprise India LLP, MetLife Global Operations Support Centre Private Limited, LG Soft India Private Limited and WSP Consultants India Private Limited. The LoC for WSP Consultants India Private Limited remains subject to approval by the Industry Minister, Government of Uttar Pradesh, and issuance of the formal letter.
Demonstrating strong investor confidence in Uttar Pradesh's technology ecosystem, 15 MoUs were signed with leading global companies and talent partners at the summit to expand GCC operations, attract technology-led investments and develop a future-ready workforce.
Companies including EY GDS, AML RightSource, Computacenter, MetLife, DSV, DAMAC, Altruist and Smartworks are partnering with the state to establish or expand their Global Capability Centres (GCCs), with Smartworks establishing two dedicated campuses in Lucknow.
To strengthen the talent pipeline, Paytm, AWS, Barclays, IBM and Naukri have partnered with the state to support training and skill-development programmes aligned with evolving GCC requirements.
Paytm signed two MoUs as part of these collaborations. Together, these partnerships aim to accelerate GCC growth, promote innovation and create new opportunities for skilled professionals in Uttar Pradesh.
MoUs were exchanged with 13 academic institutions: IIT Kanpur, IIT Roorkee, IIM Lucknow, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, Aligarh Muslim University, Shiv Nadar University, MNNIT Allahabad, Lucknow University, IIIT Allahabad, IIIT Lucknow, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Amity University and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University. The partnerships aim to strengthen industry-academia collaboration, align academic programmes with GCC requirements and improve opportunities for practical training, research and industry-relevant skill development.
The summit featured seven thematic sessions addressing investment decisions, AI adoption, innovation and workforce development. These included Behind the GCC Location Decision: Why We Chose Where We Chose; Why UP, Why Now: GCC Leaders on Choosing India's Next GCC Capital; and Leading the AI-First GCC: Lessons from the Leaders Building India's Global Capability Centres.
Other sessions covered From Delivery to Ownership: Building Product-Led GCCs in India; GCC-Led Innovation: How GCC Leaders are Partnering with Startups & Centres of Excellence; Campus to GCC: What GCC Leaders Need from UP's Universities in the AI Era; and Reskilling for the AI Era: How GCC Leaders are Future-Proofing their Workforce.
Nand Gopal Gupta 'Nandi', Minister for Industrial Development, also shared his insight on GCC ecosystem and ready to move GCC infrastructure and talent pool.
The Uttar Pradesh GCC Policy 2024 offers eligible investors capital subsidies of up to 25% and land subsidies of up to 50%, along with operational support, subject to applicable provisions and eligibility criteria.
The policy aims to improve project viability and encourage global companies to establish or expand high-value operations in the state.
The event was attended by Nand Gopal Gupta 'Nandi', Minister for Industrial Development, and Jaswant Singh Saini, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Industrial Development. Senior officials present included Deepak Kumar, IIDC; Alok Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Industry; Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary, IT and Electronics; Vijay Kiran Anand, CEO, Invest UP; Prerna Sharma and Gazal Bharadwaj, ACEOs, Invest UP; and IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal, along with other government officials, industry stakeholders and delegates.
Uttar Pradesh is leveraging its infrastructure, industrial capabilities, skilled workforce and policy framework to attract global investment and create high-value employment. Its target of 500 GCCs by 2031 reflects the state's broader ambition to strengthen its role in India's knowledge economy, accelerate innovation and build sustainable opportunities for its growing workforce.
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Tags: #CM Yogi sets 500-GCC target for UP# positions state as global hub for innovation and high-value jobs
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