Close on the heels of Bengaluru, Hyderabad is emerging as the specialised hub for global capability centres (GCCs). Among the firms that have set up GCCs in the city this year are McDonald’s, Vanguard, Citizens Bank, Heineken, Barry Callebaut, DAZN and Dai-ichi.
Zinnov recently revealed that the city houses over 355 GCCs today, with the majority of them being US-based firms. This year alone, the city has reportedly attracted as many as 27 GCCs, and the momentum shows no signs of slowing.
In this mix, Bosch Global Software Technologies (BGSW), which serves as the largest software development centre for its parent company, Robert Bosch GmbH, is also committing firmly to Hyderabad, making the city one of its most strategic global hubs. The company has grown to a strength of 2,000 employees in just about two and a half years, marking Hyderabad as Bosch’s fastest-growing centre in India.
“Hyderabad is not a replica of Bengaluru or Coimbatore. It’s our centre of excellence for cybersecurity, and we’re building distinct clusters in AI, DevOps, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and mobility. This is a deliberate, focused bet,” Amjad Khan Patan, VP and centre head for BGSW in Hyderabad, told AIM.
Why Hyderabad?
BGSW’s decision goes far beyond talent availability. Hyderabad offers a unique mix of deep-tech startups, incubation networks, global connectivity, and a forward-looking government, making it an ideal hub for GCCs to move beyond cost arbitrage.
“Post-COVID-19, we looked at locations not just for talent numbers but for their ability to drive value creation. Hyderabad stood out. It’s a city where innovation, culture, and commerce converge,” Patan explained.
BGSW has been in India for over a century, but Hyderabad symbolises its pivot from execution support to global strategy.
“We’re no longer [playing] the numbers game. Earlier, it was about cost arbitrage. Today, it’s about expertise, innovation and global impact,” Patan emphasised.
Bosch is embedding AI into every layer of its engineering culture, and Hyderabad is central to this transformation.
The company has already trained 65,000 associates globally in AI and holds more than 1,500 AI patents. Hyderabad contributes significantly to this momentum with projects like remote validation systems, digital battery locks for e-bikes and AI-powered home appliances.
At BGSW in Hyderabad, around 400 associates are undergoing training through a professional course on AI, and aiming to scale this up to 1,500 associates by the end of this calendar year.
“We’re moving in phases—assistive, augmented and eventually autonomous AI. Hyderabad is at the centre of these innovations,” Patan noted.
Mobility in Focus
Hyderabad is architecting the next frontier of automotive innovation. What started as a centre for high-quality engineering delivery has now become a strategic hub for global automotive R&D, with GCCs playing a pivotal role in this transformation.
Speaking to AIM, Namita Adavi, partner at Zinnov, said, “Global OEMs are building core platforms and architectures from the ground up. Whether it’s Hyundai Mobis reimagining software-defined vehicle systems or Stellantis advancing connected car programs, the city is enabling global mandates to be engineered at scale.”
Patan reinforced this perspective, emphasising how Hyderabad brings together a rare mix of mobility and digital capabilities. “Here, you have skill sets in mobility like V&V, HMI, embedded-based software, model-based software, but also people proficient in ERP, business consulting and cloud infrastructure,” he added.
This evolution is no accident. It is the outcome of deliberate policy and ecosystem orchestration—from initiatives like the Telangana Mobility Valley and robust infra through T-Hub and T-Works, to a steady pipeline of highly skilled engineering talent.
Patan explained that Bosch is using AI to assist developers across multiple business units, including cross-domain, powertrain, and vehicle motion functions such as braking and steering.
“We operate on a federated model—problem statements don’t just come from the top; they come from associates who understand the ground realities. These ideas are then funnelled into concepts and fast-tracked into solutions,” he said.
In mobility, AI applications span personalisation, automation, electrification, connectivity, safety, security and sustainability.
Giving real-world examples, he added, “Take, for example, remote validation for continuous product improvement during the development stage and failure monitoring after product launch in engine ECUs, based on data acquired and application of AI. Another example is digital battery lock in e-bikes, where we can completely lock the battery so it cannot be put to use if someone steals it.”
Adavi pointed out that Hyderabad now accounts for over 15% of India’s automotive GCCs, employing over 8,000 engineers. Many of them are at the forefront of IP creation, embedded systems and next-gen vehicle architecture.
But what truly sets Hyderabad apart is its ability to converge adjacent capabilities—pairing embedded software with chip design, integrating AI for predictive maintenance, and applying cybersecurity frameworks to automotive safety.
Advai added that this cross-disciplinary strength is what defines the future of automotive R&D—globally distributed, platform-driven and anchored in innovation ecosystems that deliver real engineering outcomes.
Recently, BGSW and EMotorad also signed an MoU to explore micro-mobility advancements. The collaboration combines BGSW’s expertise in software and technology with EMotorad’s knowledge of design and manufacturing to enhance the adoption of intelligent and sustainable mobility solutions.
While Bosch is synonymous with mobility in Hyderabad, the company is also diversifying into ERP solutions, healthcare technologies and data migration hubs.
Hyderabad is also where Bosch is shaping the future workforce. According to Patan, 98% of the company’s associates in India are ready to upskill in AI, compared to a global average of 80%. “That speaks volumes.”
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