Global telcos dial Delhi-NCR for support
The region hosts some of the world's most prominent telecom GCCs, including those of Nokia, Ciena, Ericsson, Orange Business Services, BT Group, AT&T and Amdocs. These centres have evolved into R&D and innovation hubs, operational backbones, and force multipliers for global operations.
Arindam Sen, partner and GCC sector lead for technology, media & entertainment and telecommunications at EY India, says
NCR
offers access to deep engineering talent, robust infrastructure, and the ability to manage both technology and enterprise operations at scale. 'Telecom GCCs initially set up (in Delhi-NCR) to be close to policymakers. Now, the region has transformed into a strategic advantage for them,' he says.
Take Nokia. Its GCC in Noida is critical to its international operations. 'These centres are accountable for project delivery, cost efficiency, AI-driven automation, and remote service deployment,' says
Sandeep Saxena
, head of technology and solutions (mobile networks) at Nokia India. From its India GCC, the company manages networks across nearly 100 countries.
Saxena says India does network planning, implementation, automation services, AI-led analytics and real-time field support for global clients.
American optical networking and software company Ciena's Gurugram centre is its largest outside North America, and is the brain behind many of the company's signature technologies. The site supports development of Ciena's optical systems, routing and switching platforms, and its intelligent automation platform that provides network and services automation. It also houses engineering labs and product innovation spaces where teams develop solutions tailored for different markets.
'Our team contributes extensively to both hardware and software innovation,' says Amit Malik, VP and sales leader at Ciena India. The Gurugram facility also handles finance, accounting, IT services & support, legal, procurement and marketing.
Siddhant Cally, research analyst at Counterpoint Research, says NCR-based GCCs manage everything from network rollout and RAN (radio access network) optimisation to back-end operations, network operations centre (NOC) services, tool development, and automation.
A big reason these centres thrive is the region's talent ecosystem. NCR draws from premier engineering institutions – this ensures a steady pipeline of professionals skilled in AI/ML, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data analytics. Most GCCs have a blend of tech specialists and enterprise professionals.
Ciena employs over 2,000 people in India, 60% of whom are in R&D. The company invests heavily in training young engineers through internships and collaborations with local colleges. 'Besides tech skills, we look for people with a sense of curiosity, communication and ability to work in a team,' Malik says.
All of these efforts are paying off. Parent companies are looking to the GCCs to define the future. As Nokia's Saxena puts it, 'We're not just supporting operations; we're defining what telecom delivery will look like in the next decade.'
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