BENGALURU: The Karnataka government is intent on attracting 500 new global capability centres (GCCs) to create 3.5 lakh jobs and generate USD 50 billion in economic output by 2029, as revealed on Wednesday at ‘Katalyst Connect’, an event hosted by the IT/BT Department and the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM).
Addressing more than 200 representatives from GCCs already based in Karnataka, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that his government is moving forward to build more Bengalurus beyond Bengaluru. “We are committed to providing all the facilities available in Bengaluru to the state’s Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities as well,” the CM said.
“Office space rent in Bengaluru is between $1 and $1.5. In Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, it’s available for half a Dollar. We are moving forward to offer double FAR (floor area ratio) there, thereby enabling the construction of multi-storey buildings in those cities too. We are providing high-quality education in Karnataka. We remain open to your suggestions,” Shivakumar said.
Noting that the State Government is trying its best to improve last mile connectivity for employees working at the GCCs in Bengaluru, the CM said that the city fared extremely well in terms of ease of doing business, and that the Beyond Bengaluru incentivisation would continue through using the Bengaluru model to set up similar ecosystems beyond the city. Shivakumar met representatives from over 150 GCCs, including those from the US-based retailer Target.
He interacted with the company’s leadership and enquired about the capabilities being built from Karnataka across technology, finance, marketing, merchandising, store design and more.
Representatives from companies, including Google, Target, Intel, IBM, Anthropic, Nokia, Bosch, JP Morgan Chase, HSBC, Chevron, Philips, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Takeda, Novo Nordisk Global Business Services, Lowe’s India, Rolls-Royce, Raytheon, Ford, eBay, Snowflake, Carl Zeiss, Collins Aerospace, Johnson Controls, Wayfair, Waters, Verint, A.P. Moller-Maersk, Delta Airlines, and more attended. Discussions focused on Karnataka’s startup-GCC linkages.
“Karnataka’s leadership as India’s premier GCC destination has been built on the trust and long-standing partnership of the global enterprise community. As GCCs evolve from delivery centres into global hubs for engineering, research and development and product innovation, our focus is on ensuring that Karnataka continues to provide the talent, policy environment and innovation ecosystem required for them to take on larger global mandates.
We will continue working closely with industry to strengthen this partnership and enable the next phase of GCC growth from Karnataka,” said Home Minister Priyank Kharge, who is holds the IT/BT portfolio.
“The recommendations shared by industry will play an important role in shaping Karnataka’s future GCC roadmap. Our priority is to ensure that policy remains responsive to evolving industry needs, our talent ecosystem keeps pace with emerging technology mandates, and enterprises have the enabling environment required to build and scale high-value capabilities from Karnataka,” IT/BT Department Secretary Dr N Manjula said.