By Amit Somaiya, CEO – IMS Global Business Solutions
Over the past two decades, India has transitioned from a cost-optimisation hub to a cornerstone of enterprise transformation and strategic enablement in the global business solutions (GBS) landscape. Initially regarded as a destination for operational cost optimisation, the country has evolved into a centre for innovation, enterprise transformation, and strategic value creation.
Over the two decades, I have had the privilege of being deeply involved in this evolution. From architecting capabilities and cultivating talent ecosystems from the ground up to partnering with global clients on their transformation journeys, I have witnessed how India’s GBS ecosystem has matured in capability, scale, and confidence.
India’s GBS Evolution:
From Service Delivery to Strategic Contribution
India’s GBS sector today reflects maturity across multiple dimensions such as delivery excellence, digital innovation, functional depth, and domain alignment. With over 1,700 global capability centres (GCCs) operating within the country and projections crossing 2,200 by 2030, the sector contributes significantly to enterprise agility and global resilience.
More importantly, the nature of services delivered has expanded beyond transactional support. India now plays a pivotal role in areas such as cloud transformation, data analytics, regulatory compliance, ESG reporting, and customer experience strategy. These functions are central to enterprise performance and competitive differentiation.
At IMS GBS, we have been instrumental in helping organisations transition their business support functions into agile, insight-led operations. This shift has required deep technical capabilities, contextual intelligence, stakeholder alignment, and precision in execution areas where Indian GBS teams continue to demonstrate exceptional strength.
Talent, Technology, and Transformation:
The Distinctive Strengths That Position India at the Forefront
India’s strength lies in the integration of domain expertise with execution capabilities. The country produces over 2 million STEM graduates annually, and this growing talent pool is being channelled into advanced enterprise functions across finance, technology, operations, and digital transformation.
Beyond academic strength, the professional ecosystem in India offers adaptability. GBS professionals here are attuned to global standards, culturally agile, and solution-oriented. This enables seamless integration with cross-border business teams and empowers proactive value contribution.
At IMS GBS, our delivery model is designed to ensure business alignment and operational precision. Our clients rely on us for execution, strategic input, and insights that anticipate challenges, optimise performance, and strengthen decision-making. This consultative approach reflects GBS’s evolution from a support function to a strategic partner.
Learning from Nearly Two Decades of GBS Transformation
Over the course of the journey in the GBS industry, several principles have consistently guided the perspective.
Transformation succeeds when there is alignment between vision and execution. At IMS GBS, our approach begins with understanding the strategic intent behind every requirement. This allows us to tailor transformation frameworks that are both scalable and resilient.
Adaptability in delivery is essential to long-term partnership success. Enterprise priorities evolve, and GBS teams must be structured to respond accordingly. Our delivery models are built with flexibility in mind, enabling proactive recalibration and minimal disruption.
Technology plays a vital role, but its effectiveness depends on integration and clarity. We intend to focus on outcomes: visibility, automation, precision, and decision intelligence.
Finally, leadership must be rooted in transparency. Real-time visibility through contextualised data allows clients to manage their business with confidence. This principle is foundational across every IMS Global Business Solutions.
GBS 4.0:
India’s Leadership in the Next Phase
The global GBS narrative is entering a new phase, one that values insight, integration, and innovation at the core. India is well-positioned to lead this phase. As global delivery centres expand their scope, we see increased leadership responsibilities within India across core enterprise functions.
Progressive enterprises are leveraging Indian GBS teams for finance transformation, digital customer journeys, regulatory reporting, and market-specific consulting. As GBS becomes increasingly outcome-led, the demand for strategic alignment, functional excellence, and domain fluency will continue to grow in areas where India has demonstrated clear leadership.
At IMS GBS, we have built our capabilities around these very dimensions. Our service offerings span finance, IT, business process, compliance, automation, and CX transformation, each supported by domain-aligned teams and guided by a singular principle: enabling businesses to operate smarter and scale sustainably.
IMS GBS:
Enabling Transformation Through Precision and Perspective
At IMS Global Business Solutions, our journey from a specialised team to a global organisation operating across 40+ countries has been shaped by consistent intent and operational clarity. We bring together multi-domain expertise, in-house automation capabilities, rigorous compliance practices, and real-time performance visibility.
We serve enterprises that expect more than delivery; they seek insight, reliability, and sustainable transformation. Every solution we design is tailored to the client’s business rhythm, strategic objectives, and market demands.
We believe in intelligent transformation, turning complexity into structured clarity and business intent into measurable impact. We view GBS as a lever of enterprise value that unlocks exceptional outcomes when aligned well.
