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28 October 2025: In a strong endorsement of India’s growing strategic importance in global banking, Citi is set to make India home to its second-largest workforce in the world. This milestone comes as the bank deepens its investments in the country’s Global Capability Centers (GCCs) – hubs that now power its operations across more than 80 markets.
Citi’s India journey began long before the GCC wave gained momentum. Established in 1990, its Citi Service Centers (CSCs) in Chennai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Mumbai have evolved into high-value global nerve centers, enabling innovation, efficiency, and digital transformation across the bank’s ecosystem.
“We have CSC or Citi Service Center where 33,000 people are working and we are an early player into the GCC space,” shared K. Balasubramanian, CEO of Citi India Subcontinent Sub-cluster and Banking Head.
GCCs Driving High-Tech Innovation for Global Banking
What began as operational support has now transformed into a digital and AI-led innovation story. Today, nearly half of Citi’s India GCC workforce is engaged in advanced technology, data science, and automation initiatives – reshaping how the bank operates globally.
“There are several colleagues who have created their own patent on artificial intelligence (AI). Close to 50% of our people at GCCs are doing high-tech stuff,” Balasubramanian added.
This evolution reflects how GCCs have transitioned from cost centers to strategic innovation hubs, taking on complex, unstructured, and business-critical processes. Citi’s leadership, including its global Chief Technology Officer, continues to collaborate closely with India teams to embed AI and analytics into core decision-making functions.
AI at the Heart of Transformation
Balasubramanian revealed – “Every EMT member has been tasked to identify the top five problem areas where they believe AI can be used in a significant manner.”
AI is fast becoming the new engine of efficiency for Citi. The bank’s executive leadership has been tasked to identify the top five business challenges where AI can deliver measurable impact – from client experience to operational risk and productivity enhancement. This AI-first mindset positions Citi among a growing cohort of financial institutions leveraging India’s digital talent to reimagine global operations.
India’s Growing Role in Citi’s Global Future
As Citi continues to scale its India operations and recalibrate its global footprint – including the proposed sale of Banamex in Mexico by 2026 – the India GCC ecosystem stands as a key strategic pillar in its transformation journey.
“We are still adding more people and that shows the relative importance of India compared to other markets within Citi,” said Balasubramanian.
For India’s GCC industry, Citi’s continued expansion reinforces a larger narrative – that global enterprises are no longer looking to India merely for efficiency or talent supply, but for strategic innovation, digital reinvention, and future-ready value creation.
SSF Global View
We spotlight enterprises redefining the value, vision, and velocity of Global India. Citi’s India story exemplifies how global capability centers are not just supporting businesses – they are reshaping global enterprise strategy from the inside out.
