India’s consumer market continues to attract major global investments, prompting multinational and domestic companies to expand their manufacturing footprint and technology operations. Over the next two years, leading brands are expected to generate close to 5,000 new jobs as they establish new production facilities and Global Capability Centres (GCCs) across the country. The hiring wave comes even as growth in several overseas markets remains subdued, showing India’s importance as a long-term investment destination.
Companies across sectors including food and beverages, personal care, healthcare, consumer goods and industrial manufacturing are stepping up recruitment across engineering, technology, manufacturing, digital and corporate functions.
PepsiCo has announced a Rs 1,266-crore investment to establish a beverage flavour in Ujjain. The new plant is expected to create around 500 direct jobs and will become the company’s second flavour manufacturing unit in India and its ninth globally.
While announcing the investment, Eugene Willemsen, chief executive officer, international beverages, at PepsiCo, said, “India continues to be a strategic growth market for us globally.”
Carrier Global is also significantly expanding its presence in India. The company plans to recruit 1,500 employees for its new $100-million manufacturing facility in Sri City. The plant forms part of Carrier’s broader expansion strategy in the country.
Haleon, formerly GSK Consumer Healthcare and the maker of Sensodyne toothpaste and Centrum supplements, is investing Rs 2,000 crore in a new manufacturing unit in Madhya Pradesh. The facility is expected to generate around 500 direct jobs in addition to indirect employment opportunities.
Commenting on the project, Kedar Lele, India chief executive and South Asia president of Haleon, said the facility would create jobs “with a strong focus on leveraging skill development, local talent and supplier ecosystems.”
GCC Expansion Fuels Demand For Skilled Talent
India is also experiencing fresh investments in Global Capability Centres. McDonald’s and L’Oréal are currently hiring for their upcoming GCCs, while Carlsberg and Dabur are expanding their digital operations with additional recruitment.
L’Oréal’s first global technology hub in Hyderabad represents one of the largest investments in the segment. Backed by an investment of Rs 3,500 crore, the centre is expected to create around 2,000 skilled jobs by 2030.
Industry experts say GCCs are increasingly becoming attractive career destinations as companies assign more global responsibilities to their India teams.
Sonal Bahl, partner at Positive Moves Consulting, said, “Talent shifts have created new job opportunities in India. GCCs now offer global mandates, faster decision-making, exposure to enterprise-wide transformation and career paths that are often comparable to, or even more attractive than traditional business roles.”
Denmark-based Carlsberg Group is also recruiting over 300 professionals during the first phase of its inaugural IT GCC in Gurugram.
According to Carlsberg Group CIO Esther Wu, the centre “will strengthen the brewer’s IT backbone, accelerate digital transformation, and embed new capabilities.”
Strong Domestic Demand Continues To Support Investments
Executives believe India’s robust consumer demand continues to justify fresh investments despite uncertainty in the global economy. Several of the new facilities will not only serve domestic customers but will also cater to international markets.
Carrier Global CEO David Gitlin said, “When you look at the areas that we’re particularly interested in, it’s hard for me to believe that there’s going to be any year in the coming decade where we don’t grow at least double digits in India.”
He added that the company plans to increase its India workforce from 5,000 employees to 6,500 over the next four years.
Meanwhile, Dabur is moving ahead with its greenfield manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu, which is expected to generate direct employment for around 250 people.
Mohit Malhotra, chief executive of Dabur, said, “We have committed an investment of Rs 400 crore…with nearly one-third of the investment already under execution.”
The latest HSBC Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) survey also indicated that while India’s private sector growth moderated in June, business activity remained comfortably above the long-term average, supported by resilient domestic demand and improving manufacturing conditions. Industry executives believe this underlying strength continues to make India one of the world’s most attractive destinations for long-term business expansion and job creation.