Why six cities still host most of India’s GCCs
Landscape estimates often put around 92% of GCCs in a six-city grid (Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Mumbai-area, and NCR, depending on the cut). Treat the exact percentage as a planning range. The pattern is stable enough to use.
Concentration persists because talent, vendors, airports, and leadership markets reinforce each other.
What that means for you
- Your first center will probably land in that grid unless you have a sharp reason not to.
- Tier-2 experiments can work as satellites, rarely as a first bet for deep product ownership.
- Multi-city expansion should follow proven ownership, not map aesthetics.
How to use the 92% fact well
- Stop debating whether India has cities. Debate which metro matches your roles.
- Budget for competition inside the grid. Scarcity is real.
- If you leave the grid, write an honest hiring risk memo for the board.
30 / 60 / 90
- 30: Primary city choice with a one-page rationale.
- 60: Backup city only if the primary hiring test fails.
- 90: Pod live; revisit second-city talk only after proof.
Takeaway
The six-city story is about gravity.
Work with it for speed. Leave it only with eyes open.
ContextDelta’s default advice for most product-led teams still starts in Bengaluru. Book a discovery call to pressure-test exceptions.