Cultural fluency is the untold edge behind India’s GCC boom

When I was doing my master’s in the UK, a particular group dynamic caught my eye: Chinese students usually didn’t mingle with their British and foreign peers, instead gravitating towards their countrymen. Indian students, however, were much more open to engaging with different communities. This phenomenon can be noticed globally too—some cultures are more naturally at ease when it comes to blending into others. Sociologists may debate the underlying reasons, but there’s no doubt this dynamic is an underappreciated factor behind India’s rise as the capital of

global capability centres

(GCCs). The ability of Indian professionals to embrace the norms, practices, and even quirks of vastly different cultures has become a hidden advantage in making India indispensable to multinational corporations.BEYOND CODE AND COSTFor years, conversations around India’s GCC boom have focused on its deep talent pool, English fluency, and cost competitiveness. But industry leaders stress that the real differentiator is subtler: India’s comfort with cultural adaptation. “India’s GCC talent has demonstrated remarkable adaptability to global cultures, going beyond surfacelevel changes to deeply align with their parent organisations,” says Mohit Mathur, chief business officer for GCCs at Quess Corp. A survey cited by him found that 84% of GCCs consider cultural integration a bigger challenge than regulatory compliance, which explains why cross-cultural training and global rotations have become strategic priorities.

This adaptability manifests differently depending on the country. For American partners, Indian teams adopt direct, outcome-focused communication. With German companies, precision and discipline are paramount. Japanese organisations value consensus and etiquette, and their Indian counterparts mirror practices such as structured meetings and punctuality. “Far from incidental, this cultural flexibility is a key reason India remains the world’s most preferred GCC hub,” says Mathur.Few companies illustrate this better than Mercedes-Benz, one of Germany’s most iconic brands. The country is renowned for its engineering precision and cultural emphasis on punctuality and structure. At

Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India

(MBRDI), employees undergo rigorous training to internalise these values. “We actively encourage our employees to develop a nuanced understanding of German culture, language, and business practices,” says Mahesh Medhekar, VP of human relations at MBRDI.The centre runs an extensive German language programme, aligned with CEFR standards, enrolling about 400 employees annually.SILICON VALLEY SPIRIT IN B’LURUIf German culture is associated with discipline, Silicon Valley is synonymous with innovation and entrepreneurial freedom. Pure Storage, a California-headquartered data storage company, has tried to replicate that ethos in India. “From the outset, we focused on building a work culture in India that mirrors the spirit of our headquarters in Silicon Valley—ownership, innovation, and clarity of thought,” says Ajeya Motaganahalli, VP of engineering & MD at Pure Storage India R&D.The French, famed for their intellectual rigour and emphasis on debate, bring another flavour. At Thales, international mobility is central to blending cultures. Indian engineers routinely spend time in France, gaining first-hand exposure to work styles and communication nuances. “Such experiences not only help our employees adapt to different environments but also strengthen their ability to contribute innovative ideas across the Group,” says Sekhar Sahay, HR director for India at Thales.Switzerland’s Novartis approaches culture differently still. Rather than mirroring headquarters, it insists on a shared global identity anchored in purpose and values. “We don’t ‘mirror’ headquarters culture—we operate as one global team anchored in shared purpose and values,” says Ganpat Anchaliya, head of the Novartis corporate centre in India.And sometimes assimilation requires physical reconstruction. At Target in India, employees in Bengaluru can “walk through” a US store without ever leaving the city. The company has created a Guest Experience Centre complete with virtual reality devices to replicate the American shopping environment. “Staying closely connected to the US retail landscape and the consumer mindset is critical,” says Andrea Zimmerman, SVP & president for Target in India. For a retailer, culture is not just about language or etiquette—it is about understanding how a Minnesota mother shops for groceries or how a Californian teenager browses clothes. These immersive spaces help Indian teams design innovations that resonate with US guests while still drawing on their own ingenuity.THE TWO-WAY ADVANTAGEWhile much of the discussion around cultural assimilation focuses on how Indians adapt, executives are keen to point out that the process is reciprocal. Mercedes-Benz trains Germans in Indian cultural norms. Novartis makes it explicit policy that integration must work both ways. At Thales, projects are co-developed, not just delegated.This two-way exchange creates something larger than the sum of its parts. As cultures interact, they reshape one another. Just like in chemistry, if two molecules react then they both undergo change