MUMBAI | 21 August 2026: The Government of Maharashtra has approved and notified the Operational Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for implementing the Maharashtra Global Capability Centre (GCC) Policy 2025, providing greater clarity on eligibility, project classification, registration, incentives, claims and compliance. The operational guidelines translate the GCC Policy, approved by the state government in November 2025, into an implementation framework for new and expanding GCCs in Maharashtra. The policy targets approximately 400 new GCCs, 400,000 high-skilled jobs and around ₹50,600 crore in investment by 2030.

The framework is designed to attract knowledge-intensive GCCs across technology, R&D, engineering, analytics, finance and other specialised business functions, while explicitly excluding BPOs, call centres and pure sales or distribution entities from GCC incentives.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

  • 400 GCCs, 400,000 Jobs: Maharashtra has set a target of attracting around 400 new GCCs and generating 400,000 high-skilled jobs by 2030.
  • Clear GCC Eligibility: Incentives are targeted at fully integrated captive centres established by multinational corporations or Indian global enterprises to serve their parent or group companies.
  • Two-Zone Incentive Structure: Zone I covers the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR), while Zone II covers the rest of Maharashtra.
  • Implementation Framework: The guidelines establish procedures covering Letter of Intent (LOI), Registration Certificate (RC), incentive eligibility, claims, disbursement and compliance monitoring.

INCENTIVE FRAMEWORK

The policy combines capital, rental, talent, infrastructure, R&D and sustainability incentives.

Capital and Rental Support

  • Eligible GCCs can receive a capital subsidy of up to 20% on eligible fixed capital investment, with category-based ceilings of ₹10 crore for Small, ₹20 crore for Medium, ₹50 crore for Large and ₹100 crore for Mega GCCs. Ultra-Mega projects can receive customised incentives. The capital subsidy is disbursed in five equal instalments.
  • New GCCs opting for rented premises can instead receive rental assistance for up to five years – 10% of eligible rent in Zone I and 20% in Zone II, subject to category-based caps ranging from ₹1 crore to ₹4 crore. Capital subsidy and rental assistance cannot be combined.

Talent and Diversity Incentives

  • The policy introduces a payroll subsidy for eligible Indian on-roll employees earning more than ₹1 lakh per month. The subsidy covers 40% of the eligible salary component in Zone I and 50% in Zone II, up to ₹50,000 per employee, for a maximum of 100 employees per GCC each year for three years. GCCs meeting the prescribed diversity threshold can receive an additional 10% payroll incentive.

R&D, Infrastructure and Sustainability

  • Eligible GCCs can receive 25% reimbursement of R&D expenses, up to ₹50 lakh annually for four years, subject to the policy-period ceiling. Joint research with Maharashtra-based universities qualifies for an additional 10% incentive.
  • The policy also provides power tariff support of ₹1 per unit in Zone I and ₹2 per unit in Zone II for five years, capped at ₹20 lakh per unit annually, along with a 10-year electricity-duty exemption. Stamp-duty exemptions vary by zone and eligible infrastructure category.
  • Additional support is available for patent filing and green-building certification, reinforcing the policy’s emphasis on innovation and sustainable GCC infrastructure.

Industry Insights

Proofpoint’s expansion highlights several broader shifts in India’s capability-centre ecosystem:

  1. From Policy Intent to Execution: The significance of the new guidelines lies in the transition from a policy announcement to an actionable implementation framework. Clearer processes around eligibility, registration and incentive claims reduce uncertainty for enterprises evaluating Maharashtra for new or expanded GCC operations.
  2. Competing on Capability, Not Just Cost: The policy explicitly targets technology, R&D, engineering, analytics and other specialised functions while excluding conventional BPO and call-centre operations. This signals Maharashtra’s intent to attract higher-value GCC mandates rather than volume-led operations.
  3. A Two-Speed GCC Strategy: The Zone I–Zone II structure combines the established strength of Mumbai and Pune with stronger incentives for locations across the rest of Maharashtra. This could support a more distributed GCC ecosystem and create opportunities for emerging centres to attract specialised mandates.
  4. Talent as a Policy Lever: Linking payroll incentives to high-skilled employment and diversity makes talent development a direct component of the state’s GCC strategy. The focus is therefore not only on attracting centres, but on encouraging the creation of deeper and more specialised talent pools.
  5. The Next Test Is Execution: With the policy framework now operational, Maharashtra’s competitive advantage will increasingly depend on how efficiently companies can navigate approvals, access incentives, secure infrastructure and build talent at scale. The operational guidelines provide the framework; implementation will determine the outcome.

GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

The Commissionerate of Services will serve as the primary implementing authority for GCC registration and incentive disbursement. A Maharashtra GCC Growth Council will provide strategic oversight, while a dedicated Policy Monitoring Unit (PMU) will support global promotion, capacity building and policy impact assessment.

Beneficiary GCCs must remain operational for a minimum of 10 years from the date of initial registration. Non-compliance or submission of false information can result in withdrawal of benefits and recovery of incentives.

STRATEGIC OUTLOOK

Maharashtra has now moved its GCC proposition from policy ambition to implementation. The combination of fiscal incentives, talent support, infrastructure provisions and a defined governance mechanism gives enterprises greater clarity when evaluating the state for new or expanded global capability operations. The larger opportunity for Maharashtra will be to convert these incentives into sustained growth in high-value GCC mandates, R&D activity, specialised talent and innovation across both established and emerging locations.

Curated by SSF Global

Tracking the shifts shaping GCCs, enterprise ecosystems, and the future of global business.

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SSF Global is a Global Community for Enterprise Function Leaders and serves as a research & advisory platform focused on Global Business Services (GBS), Global Capability Centres (GCCs), and the evolution of enterprise innovation in India and beyond. We track, publish, and partner in narratives that shape how capability centres transform into hubs of trust, intelligence, and sustainable growth. We also evaluate, assess and benchmark the GCCs for their performance, maturity and other parameters using our proprietary tools built from the knowledge gained from direct interaction with our members (GCCs & GBS).