BANGALURU: Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are now paying 12-20% above that of traditional IT services, highlighting the growing premium placed on digital expertise, says Aditya Narayan Mishra, MD & CEO of CIEL HR.
At the entry-level, salaries for data science professionals are around Rs 14 lakh per annum, while software developers earn about Rs 11 LPA. "This highlights the increasing value of data-driven skills in today's job market," he adds.
In the ‘India’s Talent Takeoff - The GCC 4.0 Story’ report, released recently, digital talent solutions provider NLB Services points out that GCCs in India are poised for a 9.8% salary growth over the next 12 months. About 61% of India Inc. GCCs acknowledge higher salaries in the ecosystem, it said.
On the pay parity, the report indicates that AI/ML and Data Science professionals are commanding a premium of 30–50% above traditional IT roles, while Cloud Architects and Product Designers are seeing elevated salaries, fuelled by Gen AI and hybrid cloud adoption. Foundational digital and automation engineers, particularly in Industry 4.0 sectors, are experiencing close to 20–50% premiums.
Sachin Alug, CEO, NLB Services, said, “With India hosting over 55% of the world’s GCCs and projected to reach a market size of $110 billion by 2030, these centres have become critical nodes for organisations seeking agility, cost efficiency, and access to a vast talent pool."
"This growth trajectory is now translating into significant salary increases for employees, especially for specialised skills which are commanding higher premiums than ever before," he added.
According to the report, AI/ML engineer salaries are set to jump from Rs 18–60 LPA in 2025 to Rs 40 L–1.5 Cr+ by 2030. Also, tier-1 hubs like Bengaluru and Hyderabad will see niche AI and cybersecurity roles surpassing Rs 2 crore annually, it added.
Aditya Narayan Mishra of CIEL HR added that while Software Engineers still dominate job openings in GCCs (31%), the combined share of Data Engineers/Analysts/Scientists (21%) and Product Roles (12%) reveal a significant shift. Together, these emerging roles account for 33% of job openings, surpassing traditional software engineering roles.
Despite the strong momentum, Sachin Alug says gender-based disparities still require attention, with women earning approximately 75–85% of male salaries on average, a gap which further widens at senior positions, reflecting the limited representation in leadership roles.