Blog · 6 min read

Semiconductor-Adjacent Capability: Opportunity for GCCs

By Anupam Tandon · September 2025

TL;DR

Chip-adjacent work (design enablement, embedded, EDA support) can fit India captives with the right seniors. Do not fake it with generic IT hiring.

Semiconductor-adjacent capability in GCCs

Not every center should chase semiconductors. If your parent is in chips, electronics, or automotive compute, India can host design enablement, embedded software, verification support, and tool-chain engineering.

Requirements

Seniors who have lived that stack
Environments and IP controls that satisfy the parent
Patience on hiring; this bench is not infinite
Honest labeling: adjacent capability is not a fab

30 / 60 / 90

30: Scope what “adjacent” means for your products.
60: Hiring feasibility in target cities.
90: Pilot team only if seniors clear the bar.

Takeaway

Specialty mandates need specialty people.

Policy buzzwords will not staff the team.

“Structure matters, but the first three or four hires decide whether your India team becomes a capability or an expensive supplier.”
— Anupam Tandon, ContextDelta

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