US President Donald Trump’s move to sharply raise the cost of H-1B visa applications is expected to accelerate the transfer of high-value corporate functions to India, boosting the country’s fast-growing global capability centres (GCCs), according to industry leaders and economists.
India already hosts more than 1,700 GCCs—over half of the global total—that have evolved from traditional back-office operations to high-value hubs for research, design, and product development. These centres, operated by multinational corporations, now play a key role in areas such as financial services, cybersecurity, drug discovery, and artificial intelligence.
Trump this month increased the fee for new H-1B visa applications to $100,000, up from the existing range of $2,000 to $5,000. The steep rise adds pressure on US companies that have long relied on skilled foreign workers to bridge domestic talent gaps. On Monday, US senators also reintroduced a bill to tighten rules around both H-1B and L-1 visa programmes, pledging to close what they described as loopholes and prevent abuse by large employers.
Industry experts say the combined effect of these measures could push companies to rely more heavily on India-based GCCs to keep critical work in-house rather than outsourcing it to third parties. “GCCs are uniquely positioned for this moment. They serve as a ready in-house engine,” said Rohan Lobo, partner and GCC industry leader at Deloitte India. He added that several US firms are already reassessing their workforce strategies and shifting mandates for innovation-led work.
Lalit Ahuja, founder and CEO of ANSR, which has helped global companies including FedEx, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Target, and Lowe’s establish GCCs in India, said the new visa restrictions have created a “sense of urgency” among multinationals. “This whole gold rush will only get accelerated,” he said.
Companies across technology, banking, and retail are among the biggest H-1B visa sponsors. Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, JPMorgan Chase, and Walmart all maintain significant operations in India, though none commented on the visa developments, citing the political sensitivity of the issue.
Some analysts, however, warn that the proposed HIRE Act—which would impose a 25% tax on US firms outsourcing work overseas—could complicate offshoring decisions and disrupt India’s services exports. “For now, we are observing and studying, and being ready for outcomes,” said the India head of a US pharmaceutical company’s GCC.
Despite such uncertainties, most experts believe India’s GCC market will continue to expand. Research firms project the number of GCCs in India to surpass 2,200 by 2030, with revenues nearing $100 billion. According to Nomura, lost revenues from H-1B-reliant businesses could be offset by greater demand for GCC services, as US firms bypass immigration restrictions to tap into India’s talent base.
For India’s $283 billion IT services industry, which contributes nearly 8% of GDP, the shift may cushion some of the strain from tighter US immigration policies, while further cementing the country’s role as a global technology and innovation hub.
