FICCI Hosts ‘Hyderabad 2035’ Conference; Unveils Report Positioning the City as India’s Global Capability Capital
HYDERABAD: The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), in partnership with knowledge partner ANAROCK, hosted the conference titled “FICCI India Next Growth Frontier: Hyderabad 2035: India’s Global Capability Capital”. The event marked the official release of the knowledge report “Hyderabad – The Rise of a Global Capability Powerhouse,” documenting the city’s rise as the nation’s premier hub for Global Capability Centers (GCCs), technology innovation, and cross-sector growth.
Mr. S.P. Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director of Terminus Group, revealed that Hyderabad recorded 5.2 million square feet of commercial space absorption in H1 2026, with GCCs occupying 40 to 45 percent of the market share. This commercial momentum catalysed a 12 percent year-on-year surge in residential sales, touching 23,700 units.
Delivering his address, Mr. V.V. Rama Raju, Chairman of FICCI Telangana State Council and Founder & Managing Director of Gaja Engineering, emphasised the economic multiplier effect that GCCs exert on the region. Highlighting that Hyderabad now hosts over 500 GCCs employing more than 300,000 professionals—accounting for 20 percent of India’s GCC workforce—Mr. Rama Raju outlined how incoming global investments directly fuel commercial leasing, residential demand, and retail growth.
Mr. Peush Jain, Managing Director of ANAROCK, added that the city offers world-class infrastructure spanning over 1.4 billion square feet of development, positioning it among the top global investment destinations.
Talking about Hyderabad’s Real Estate Footprint of GCC Expansion, industry leaders examined the structural shifts in occupier strategy. They noted that conversation dynamics have fundamentally shifted, with Hyderabad now leading the nation in new GCC influx alongside Bengaluru in what leaders term the ‘BHP Triangle’ (Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune).
They also observed that occupiers are rapidly scaling from 500 seats to several thousand within two to three years, driving demand for multi-dimensional “15-minute city” ecosystems combining office, retail, healthcare, and community spaces. They highlighted the city’s sub-dollar commercial rentals and stringent ESG standards and emphasised that occupiers now evaluate developers on broader social fabric, commuting ease, and infrastructure alignment as growth extends deeper west and south toward the airport.
Building on this momentum, the discussion on “From Space to Ecosystem: Strategy for GCC-Driven Commercial Assets” focused on future-proofing commercial real estate to support high-value global mandates. Panelists highlighted that Hyderabad’s GCC story has evolved far beyond cost arbitrage into a strategic value-creation model. Citing examples the industry leaders illustrated how global centers are prioritising talent strategy, continuous learning, and inward project ownership over mere headcount expansion. To support these evolving requirements, speakers stressed that developers must design future-ready buildings equipped to handle specialized AI hubs, engineering centers, and product development units. This requires upfront capital investments in heavy power infrastructure, robust transformer capacity, utility shafts, and high-efficiency chillers to accommodate critical operations over a 10-to-15-year horizon.
The discussion also addressed the evolution of workspace design and critical urban growth imperatives. Experts noted that office environments have transitioned from traditional workstation layouts into collaborative community hubs that offer pocket-friendly amenities, wellness spaces, and vibrant food options to enhance employee experience and retention.
Panelists candidly examined the key challenges facing the ecosystem, emphasising the urgent need to cultivate “GCC-ready” and “AI-mature” talent pools rather than competing within the same candidate pool. They also called for proactive urban planning to address last-mile transit connectivity, manage high-density developments, and preserve rental competitiveness, ensuring that Hyderabad sustains its leadership position as the premier global capability capital through 2030 and beyond.
