From cost centre to nerve centre - How GCCs are powering the future of energy: KPMG in India report

New Delhi, 16 September 2025 – The energy sector stands at a pivotal juncture, as electrification, decentralisation, and digitalisation reshape operations, customer expectations, and business models. At ENRich 2025-KPMG in India’s flagship Energy and Resources Conclave, now in its 16th edition-the firm unveiled its latest report: “From Cost Centre to Nerve Centre of the Energy Enterprise: Global Capability Centres (GCCs)”. The report was released by Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India, in the presence of several eminent dignitaries. The report highlights how GCCs are evolving from traditional cost-saving support functions into strategic hubs that drive innovation, operational excellence, and customer-centricity.

Powered by AI, advanced analytics, high-performance computing, and frontier technologies such as quantum computing, GCCs are enabling intelligent operations, predictive maintenance, scenario-driven decision-making, and seamless integration across upstream and downstream energy operations. These centres help organisations enhance cost efficiency while scaling capabilities-delivering both operational optimisation and innovation.

By 2030, GCCs will serve as command centres for intelligence and execution, linking upstream exploration to downstream distribution. They will drive predictive maintenance, real-time optimisation, and rapid experimentation in frontier technologies like green hydrogen and carbon capture. Companies that embrace this shift will unlock scalable capabilities, seamless customer experiences, and accelerated innovation. Those that don’t risk falling behind in a rapidly evolving industry.

Key insights from the report:

India hosts ~1,700 GCCs as of 2024, projected to grow to 2,400 by 2030, employing over 2.8 million people

Over 50 per cent of India’s GCCs have evolved into portfolio and transformation hubs in FY24, up from 18 per cent in FY13

With more than 400 new GCCs established between FY19 and FY24 and 16+ added in Q1 2025, the momentum underscores a robust and consistent growth curve

In the past two years, India has seen around 45 new mid-market GCCs, making up nearly 35 per cent of the total GCC setup nationwide

Digital technology adoption in GCCs has surged: AI/ML and data science adoption rose from 65% in FY19 to 86 per cent in FY24; cybersecurity adoption from 55% to 88%

Commenting on the report, Anish De, Global Sector Head, Energy Natural Resources & Chemicals (ENRC), KPMG International said, "The energy sector is undergoing a profound transformation. Traditional operating models are no longer sufficient, and customer expectations are evolving rapidly. GCCs are emerging as the nerve centres of energy enterprises-combining AI, analytics, and talent to drive operational excellence and innovation. Organisations that embrace this shift can convert cost into capability and deliver truly customer-centric energy solutions."

Shalini Pillay, India Leader - Global Capability Centres, KPMG in India said, "Global Capability Centres are transcending their transactional origins to become strategic engines of transformation. With advanced AI, integrated digital platforms, and specialised talent, GCCs empower energy companies to innovate at scale and respond swiftly to market shifts. By 2030, GCCs will orchestrate intelligence, efficiency, and resilience across the entire energy value chain."

The report offers a clear roadmap for energy organisations to pivot from legacy structures to agile, digitally enabled, and future-ready enterprises-placing GCCs at the heart of next-generation energy transformation.