ER&D in India: from support to core engineering
Engineering research and development inside Indian GCCs used to mean drawings, test scripts, or overflow coding. That picture is outdated for many programs.
Public landscape notes often show ER&D as a large share of work in bigger captives. Estimates vary by firm and sector. The useful lesson is directional: India can own core modules when you staff for it.
What “core” requires
- Senior engineers who have shipped the kind of product you sell
- Design authority inside agreed interfaces, not only ticket execution
- Quality and safety gates that match HQ standards (especially automotive, industrial, medtech)
- Lab or environment access that is not a permanent bottleneck
How smaller companies should start
Do not copy a 2,000-person ER&D campus. Own one subsystem. Prove defect and delivery quality. Expand on evidence.
30 / 60 / 90
- 30: Subsystem charter and quality standard in one page.
- 60: Senior hiring slate and environment access plan.
- 90: First India-owned engineering increment in production or formal release.
Takeaway
Support engineering keeps you replaceable.
Core engineering earns mandate. Hire and govern accordingly.
Talk through an ER&D-first Bengaluru pod if that is your bet.