SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has the potential to become a major destination for Global Capability Centres (GCCs), supported by its young workforce, improving infrastructure, investor-friendly policies and expanding start-up ecosystem, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Saturday.
Addressing the valedictory session of the J&K Global Capability Centre Summit 2026, Sinha expressed confidence that the Union Territory could progress beyond hosting capability centres to developing innovations for global markets.
Congratulating IIM Jammu, NASSCOM, partner institutions and the administration on organising the two-day summit, he called for coordinated efforts to make Jammu and Kashmir a preferred destination for companies looking to establish talent hubs, innovation centres and operational capabilities.
Drawing a parallel with the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab River, the Lieutenant Governor said the region needed the same confidence and ambition to pursue transformative economic goals. He described the confluence of the Chandra and Bhaga rivers, which form the Chenab, as a symbol of collaboration, comparing it with GCCs bringing together international expertise, investment and technology with the skills and aspirations of local youth.
According to Sinha, India has more than 2,100 GCCs employing over 19 lakh professionals and making a substantial contribution to exports. Their expansion into Tier-II and Tier-III cities, he said, presents Jammu and Kashmir with an opportunity to attract investment by strengthening its institutions, infrastructure and innovation ecosystem.
He said the sector had evolved from a focus on cost efficiency towards excellence and advanced capabilities, adding that Jammu and Kashmir could develop into a source of specialised innovations for international markets.
Highlighting changes in the region’s industrial and entrepreneurial landscape, Sinha credited infrastructure development and improved connectivity under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership with supporting investment and the growth of start-ups.
He said the number of start-ups in Jammu and Kashmir had increased from 69 in 2020 to 1,305, representing growth of more than 1,800 per cent. The growing pool of graduates from IIM Jammu, IIT Jammu, NIT Srinagar and other local universities, he added, could help meet industry requirements.
The Lieutenant Governor outlined six advantages for attracting GCCs: financial support, lower operating costs, special incentives for pioneering multinational investors, the return of local talent, first-mover opportunities for early entrants and potential in specialised sectors such as agri-tech, tourism-tech and the digitisation of handicrafts.
He also set out a four-pillar roadmap for the next five years, focusing on developing talent through industry-academia partnerships, ensuring credible policy implementation to build investor confidence, capitalising on the region’s distinctive advantages and promoting inclusive growth through a hub-and-spoke development model.
Sinha said GCCs could become an important part of Jammu and Kashmir’s industrial ecosystem over the next decade, adding that the summit had laid the groundwork for an innovation-driven economy capable of attracting centres from across the world.
Those attending the session included Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; NIIT chairman Rajendra Singh Pawar, who holds the Padma Bhushan; IIM Jammu director Prof. B.S. Sahay; Labour and Employment Department Secretary Kumar Rajeev Ranjan; IIM Jammu Dean of Faculty and Research Prof. Jabir Ali; Dean of Academics Prof. Nitin Upadhyay; and CITaG, IIM Jammu, chief executive officer Dr Sandeep Ananthanarayanan. Experts, policymakers, industry representatives, senior officials, faculty members and students were also present.
