Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh launched a major initiative at the Uttar Pradesh GCC Innovation Summit-2026, held in Lucknow, to position the state as a leading hub for Global Capability Centers (GCCs).
During the conference, 15 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed with GCC companies and talent development partners, letters of intent were issued to five investors and MoUs were exchanged with 13 prominent educational institutions. These partnerships are expected to promote investment, innovation, skill development and high-value employment opportunities in the state.
The Alumni Association of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur organized the conference at Hotel The Centrum in collaboration with Invest UP and HCL Tech. Representatives from industry, policymakers, investors and technology experts discussed artificial intelligence, digital transformation, innovation and investment opportunities in global business services.
At the conference, the government issued letters of comfort to Havells India Limited, Ameriprise India LLP, MetLife Global Operations Support Center Private Limited, LG Soft India Private Limited, and WSP Consultants India Private Limited. For WSP Consultants India Private Limited, approval from the UP government’s Industrial Development Minister and issuance of the formal letter are still pending.
The conference saw agreements signed with leading companies, including EY GDS, AML RightSource, Computacenter, MetLife, DSV, DAMAC, Altruist, and Smartworks. The objective is to establish new Global Capability Centers in the state and expand existing operations. Smartworks is establishing two dedicated campuses in Lucknow.
Meanwhile, to build a skilled workforce aligned with future requirements, Paytm, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Barclays, IBM, and Naukri entered into partnerships to collaborate on training and skill-development programs. Paytm signed two MoUs under this initiative. These agreements aim to increase investment in the Global Capability Center sector, encourage innovation, and create new employment opportunities for young people.
At the conference, MoUs were exchanged with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, IIT Roorkee, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, Aligarh Muslim University, Shiv Nadar University, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) Allahabad, Lucknow University, Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Allahabad, IIIT Lucknow, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Amity University and Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University. These partnerships aim to strengthen collaboration between educational institutions and industry, prepare students to meet industry requirements, and promote research, innovation, and skill development.
The conference held seven thematic sessions, featuring discussions on selecting investment destinations for Global Capability Centers, artificial intelligence-driven operations, product-led innovation, collaboration with startups, the role of universities, and future skills. Experts shared their views on developing talent to meet global companies’ changing requirements and strengthening product development and research capabilities in India.
Yogi Government to boost GCC expansion, Skill Development and Industry-Academia collaboration
Smartworks to establish two campuses in Lucknow
