DD Correspondent
Jammu, A press conference was organized on 8 October 2026 ahead of the J&K GCC Summit 2026, organized by the Indian Institute of Management Jammu in collaboration with the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, with NASSCOM as the Knowledge Partner. The press conference provided an overview of the summit, its objectives, key focus areas, and its broader vision of positioning Jammu and Kashmir as India’s emerging destination for Global Capability Centres (GCCs).
The J&K GCC Summit 2026, scheduled for 9–10 October 2026 at Mandapam, IIM Jammu, will bring together a distinguished group of senior policymakers, industry leaders, academic experts, investors, and representatives from the GCC and technology ecosystem, including Shri Atal Dulloo, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Jammu and Kashmir; Prof. B. S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu; Padma Bhushan Shri Rajendra Singh Pawar, Chairman, NIIT; Shri Rajesh Nambiar, President, NASSCOM; Shri Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, IAS, Secretary, Labor and Employment Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir; Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Faculty and Research; Prof. Nitin Upadhyay, Dean Academics, IIM Jammu, Prof. Shyam Narayan Lal, Chairperson, Anandam, Dr. Sandeep Ananthanarayanan, CEO, CiTAG, IIM Jammu, among other leaders from industry, government, academia, investment, human resources, and the innovation ecosystem. Centered on the theme “Unlocking J&K’s GCC Potential for Building Growth Ecosystem & Catalyzing Investment,” the J&K GCC Summit 2026 is expected to bring together more than 300 delegates and provide a focused platform for translating Jammu and Kashmir’s emerging GCC potential into investment, employment, skills development, and sustainable economic growth.
Global Capability Centres have evolved significantly from their earlier role as offshore units focused primarily on transaction processing and cost optimization. Today, they serve as strategic centres for high-value functions such as product engineering, enterprise analytics, artificial intelligence, research and development, and other critical global operations. While India has emerged as a major hub for this transformation, GCC activity is increasingly expanding beyond established metropolitan centers into Tier-II and Tier-III cities. This shift creates an opportunity for Jammu and Kashmir to develop a distinctive proposition built around its talent base, academic ecosystem, technology capabilities, infrastructure, innovation potential, and quality of life.Against this backdrop, the J&K GCC Summit 2026 has been conceived as a targeted investment facilitation platform to present Jammu and Kashmir’s potential before global capability heads, location strategy leaders, and transaction advisers.
The Summit will facilitate dialogue on how GCC investments can support the Union Territory’s priorities in employment generation, skills development, and economic diversification. It will also highlight the infrastructure readiness, single-window facilitation, incentive framework, and institutional support available in J&K, while enabling investors, industry stakeholders, government representatives, and knowledge partners to contribute to a comprehensive roadmap and enabling policy framework for GCC development.The deliberations will further examine successful GCC models from other states and identify policy interventions and ecosystem conditions that can strengthen investor confidence and facilitate long-term growth. A dedicated focus will be placed on building stronger industry-academia linkages through industry-aligned curricula, internships, experiential learning, and leadership development.
The Summit is also expected to facilitate tangible outcomes, including Memoranda of Understanding, anchor investment commitments, and concrete employment proposals, thereby translating strategic dialogue into measurable opportunities for investment, talent development, and economic growth in Jammu and Kashmir.Prof. B. S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, stated that when the Institute was established, the Hon’ble Prime Minister had emphasized that the role of institutions such as IITs,IIMs NITs goes beyond merely awarding degrees and includes contributing to the development of the region and the nation.
He said that IIM Jammu is working closely with the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, with significant convergence taking place across various areas.He highlighted that the Institute is contributing through its three broad mandates, including policy formulation, capacity building and engagement with government and industry. He said that four policies developed at the “Centre for Innovation and Transformation in Governance (CiTaG), IIM Jammu including the successful Mission YUVA, have been accepted, while public-private partnership projects are also being facilitated through the Centre.
The Institute is also undertaking capacity-building programmes for government officials and has been working with the Government on initiatives such as Mission YUVA. He said that IIM Jammu is also working with the MSME sector and exploring ways to support its revival and growth. He noted that the Institute had proposed the development of a GCC ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir as an important opportunity to create employment and contribute to the region’s economic development.Referring to the J&K GCC Summit 2026, he said that around 45 companies, 55 + Industry Leaders and 300+ delegates and several government representatives and industry leaders will participate in the two-day Summit being held on 9–10 October 2026.
He emphasised that the Summit is not an investment summit, but an effort to create awareness about the potential of Jammu and Kashmir as a GCC destination and to facilitate meaningful engagement between the government and industry. He said that GCCs can create opportunities across a range of service and knowledge-based functions and that Jammu and Kashmir needs to build the ecosystem required to attract such organisations.
He highlighted the availability of institutions such as IIM Jammu and IIT Jammu, which can contribute to developing and training the skilled manpower required by industry. He stressed that preparing the youth with the right skills is essential to ensure that the opportunities created through the GCC ecosystem translate into employment. He further said that the Summit will provide participating organisations an opportunity to understand the ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir, interact with government representatives and explore the possibilities of establishing their operations in the region. Business meetings and parallel interactions with organisations are also being facilitated during the Summit to take these discussions forward.He called upon industry, government and other stakeholders to use the Summit as an opportunity to understand the potential of Jammu and Kashmir and work collectively towards bringing more organisations to the region. He said that the objective is to create a sustainable ecosystem that contributes to employment, skill development and the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Summit will also showcase the rich cultural heritage of the region through a cultural programme titled, Colors of Jammu by Padma Shri Balwant Thakur.Shri Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, IAS, Secretary, Labour and Employment Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, stated that the J&K GCC Summit 2026 comes at an important juncture for the region as Jammu and Kashmir looks to create new avenues for employment and economic opportunities. He noted that the GCC model can provide a platform for attracting large corporate organisations and creating sizeable employment ecosystems, particularly in white-collar and knowledge-based sectors.
He emphasised that Jammu and Kashmir needs to continuously create employment opportunities for its growing pool of skilled and educated workforce, while recognising that the Government alone cannot be the sole source of employment. In this context, he said that GCCs can play an important role by creating opportunities across areas such as finance, human resources, technology, analytics and other knowledge-driven functions. Highlighting the need to develop a strong local talent pool, he stressed that the focus should be on creating skilled manpower aligned with emerging industry requirements. He also pointed to Jammu and Kashmir’s favourable climatic conditions, natural environment and connectivity to the National Capital Region as factors that can support the development of a GCC ecosystem.
He further observed that the growth of GCCs can have a wider multiplier effect on the local economy by generating direct and indirect employment, strengthening supporting services and creating an ecosystem around new investments and businesses. He expressed the view that a focused GCC ecosystem can therefore contribute significantly to addressing employment challenges while creating sustainable opportunities for skilled professionals in Jammu and Kashmir.Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean, Faculty and Research, IIM Jammu, stated that the Summit would strengthen industry-academia-government collaboration and create opportunities for research, knowledge exchange and innovation to support the development of a sustainable GCC ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir. He highlighted the importance of aligning academic and research capabilities with emerging industry requirements, particularly through applied research, industry-led innovation and talent development.
He added that sustained engagement among stakeholders can help identify research opportunities, foster knowledge creation and contribute to the long-term development of the GCC ecosystem in J&K.Prof. Nitin Upadhyay, Dean (Academics), IIM Jammu, stated that every state has an important role to play in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat, and Jammu and Kashmir has an equally significant role to contribute through technology and innovation. He said that as IIM Jammu completes ten years, the establishment of a GCC ecosystem in the region assumes particular importance.He noted that Jammu and Kashmir has the potential to emerge as a distinctive destination for GCCs, offering a favourable environment for attracting talent and top executives.
He added that the J&K GCC Summit will facilitate networking among industry and government stakeholders, help build meaningful connections and create potential investment pipelines for the region.Dr. Sandeep Ananthanarayanan, CEO, CITaG, IIM Jammu, mentioned that the summit would provide a platform to connect technology, innovation, and governance perspectives with industry and policy priorities, helping shape actionable pathways for developing J&K as a competitive GCC destination. He highlighted the importance of leveraging digital capabilities, emerging technologies, institutional expertise, and local talent to create an enabling ecosystem that can attract investment, foster innovation, and support sustainable economic growth in the region.The inaugural programme on 9 October 2026 will commence with a campus tour and sapling plantation by the dignitaries.
The proceedings will feature an address by Shri Atal Dulloo, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, followed by the Welcome Address by Prof. B. S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, and the Brief of the J&K GCC Summit 2026 by Shri Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, IAS, Secretary, Labour and Employment Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir. Shri Rajesh Nambiar, President, NASSCOM, will deliver the plenary address, followed by the address by the Chief Guest. The first day of the Summit will feature three high-level panel discussions focusing on the institutional, policy, and investment dimensions of the GCC opportunity in Jammu and Kashmir. The first panel, “Industry-Government Collaboration and Ecosystem: Enabling the J&K GCC Growth Agenda,” will be moderated by Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Faculty and Research, IIM Jammu, with Shri Gouri Prasad Sahu, MD and Lead, India GCC Business, Accenture, as the keynote speaker. The panel will feature Shri Shailendra Kumar, IAS, ACS Finance Department; Shri Anuj Jolly, Senior Managing Director, Barclays Global Services, India; Ms. Shalini Sankarshana, Managing Director and Country Manager, Planview India; Shri Mohit Bhasin, Partner and Global Head, Economic Growth, KPMG India; Shri Ramendra Verma, Partner and Government Segment Leader, Grant Thornton Bharat LLP; Shri Vikas Shah, Executive Director, Seanergy.ai; and Ms. Bisoya Loitongbam, Vice President, eGovernments Foundation.
The discussion will examine facilitation mechanisms, infrastructure, approvals, digital public infrastructure, accountability, and policy stability required to establish J&K as a credible GCC destination.The second panel, “India’s GCC Growth Story: One India, Many GCC Models,” will be moderated by Prof. Nitin Upadhyay, Dean Academics, IIM Jammu. The panel will comprise Shri Kailash Maisekar, Country Director, Idox; Shri Kunal Kaushal, Partner, AI and Data Science, PwC India; Shri Ramesh Shanmugam, Partner, Economic Growth, KPMG; Shri Ashok Rodagi, Senior Technology and Engineering Director, India Energy Technology Center, Baker Hughes; Shri Abhishek Yadav, HR Director, South Asia, DuPont; Shri Vipul Prajapati, Deputy Director (IT), Directorate of ICT and e-Governance, Department of Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat; Shri Vignesh P, Head of BFSI Sector, GCC Team, Guidance Tamil Nadu, Department of Industries, Government of Tamil Nadu; and Shri Manish Kumar Pankaj, Senior Consultant, Technology Management, Department of IT, Government of Bihar. The session will draw on the experience of GCC-enabled states to examine policy approaches relating to incentives, employment, infrastructure, skilling, technology, and research and development.The third panel, “Industry-Government Partnership for J&K:
Investment, Employment and Economic Growth,” will be moderated by Shri Praveen Kona, Director, GCC Initiatives, NASSCOM. The panel will feature Shri Vikramjit Singh, IPS, Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department; Shri Debabrata Ghosh, Partner, Education and Skill Development Practice and COO, Government and Public Services, KPMG; Shri Tanay Kediyal, Partner and Head of Client Partner Engagement, Gloplax Solutions; Shri Rokkam Tarakeshwar Rao, Executive Director, Dhanush Healthcare Systems; Ms. Shweta Jain, Director HR, Inner City Fund; Dr. Satyarth Shukla, Deputy Vice President, Protean eGov Technologies; Ms. Monika Garg, Associate Director, Global HR Operations Support, Fresenius Medical Care; and Shri Sanjay Krishna A, Policy and Investment Lead, Guidance Tamil Nadu, Department of Industries, Government of Tamil Nadu. The discussion will focus on investor requirements, including land, infrastructure, connectivity, incentives, and operating-cost support, while exploring opportunities in financial services, healthcare IT, engineering and product development, GovTech, artificial intelligence, and data services.The second day will advance the deliberations towards technology, talent, and an actionable roadmap for J&K.
The fourth panel, “GCC Innovation and Technology: Unlocking the Tier-2 and Tier-3 Advantage,” will be moderated by Shri Sachin Punyani, Head of AI Services, Public Sector, Amazon Web Services India, and will feature Shri Rahul Yadav, IAS, Administrative Secretary, IT Department; Shri Sree Rama Chandra Murty Nallam, Founder and CEO, Seanergy.ai; Shri Brijendra Kumar, Partner and Lead, GovTech, KPMG; Shri Kundana Kumar Lal, Founder Director and President, VITTI Research Foundation; Shri Deo Kumar Singh, CEO, Deosoft IT Services; Shri Rajesh Pasham, Head, Palantir Centre of Excellence, TechStar Group; Shri Amit Pradhan, Senior Vice President, IT and CIO, Dixon Technologies; and Shri Ankur Chandra, Chief Storyteller and Product Management Leader, Carelon Global Solutions. The panel will examine how emerging technologies, cloud infrastructure, AI, and digital capabilities can enable high-value work from Tier-II and Tier-III locationsThe fifth panel, “The Future of GCC: Talent and Workforce Transformation,” will be moderated by Shri Roydon Gonsalvez, Senior Vice President and Head, Talent Management and Development (APAC), Northern Trust. The panel will feature Shri Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, IAS, Secretary Labour and Employment Department; Shri Vikash Kumar Dubey, CEO and Managing Director, Vensysco Technologies; Shri Deepu Malik, Co-Founder and Managing Director, DataThoughts; Shri Narayanan Ramaswamy, Partner and National Leader, Education and Skill Development, KPMG; Shri Sumit Bhatia, Senior Director, People Partner, Marsh; Shri Rohit Mogra, CHRO, Giesecke & Devrient; Shri Rupak Rathore, Senior General Manager and Head, HR and L&D, Zydus Lifesciences; and Shri Manpreet Singh, Vice President, HR and India HR Head, Alkami. The discussion will focus on skills-based organizations, AI-enabled workplaces, leadership pipelines, and stronger industry-academia alignment for developing future-ready talent.The final panel, “Roadmap for Making J&K the Next GCC Destination,” will be moderated by Ms. Kritika Murugesan, Senior Director, GCC and Talent Council, NASSCOM. The panel will comprise Dr. Owais Ahmed, IAS, Administrative Secretary, PDMD; Shri Ankush Sabharwal, Founder and CEO, CoRover.ai; Shri Rajesh Ganesan, CEO, ManageEngine, Zoho Corp; Ms. Vaishnavi Prasad, Country Head, Consilio; Shri Sandeep Dhar, Founder and CEO, Aidiator Solutions; Shri Sourabh Gupta, Digital Program Leader, APAC, RTX; Shri Puneet Mohan, Founder, CEO, and Managing Director, SMMARUN Management Consortium Associates LLP; and Shri Sunil Bhide, Executive Leader, Global Delivery, Customer Success, and Business Transformation, QNu Labs. The session will consolidate the Summit’s deliberations into actionable priorities covering policy, infrastructure, investment, talent, and skilling, feeding into the proposed J&K GCC roadmap and incentive architecture.Overall, the J &K GCC Summit 2026 t seeks to translate the two-day dialogue into actionable interventions and sustained government-industry-academia collaboration, with a focus on attracting GCC investments and generating tangible outcomes in employment, skills, innovation, investment, and economic diversification in Jammu and Kashmir.
