Jammu, Oct 9 — Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said J&K can emerge as a competitive destination for Global Capability Centre (GCC) companies.
Addressing the inaugural session of the J&K GCC Summit 2026 at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu virtually from New Delhi, Omar Abdullah called upon industry leaders to explore J&K as an emerging destination for GCCs.
He emphasised that the government is committed to creating a competitive, business-friendly ecosystem that attracts investment, fosters innovation and generates meaningful employment.
"We have to make J&K a place that is competitive, a place that is attractive to do business, a place where you can make money, and a place where we can compete with Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities around the country," the Chief Minister said.
The two-day summit, themed 'Unlocking J&K's GCC Potential for Building Growth Ecosystem and Catalysing Investment', brings together representatives from government, industry and academia to explore opportunities for expanding J&K's presence in India's growing GCC ecosystem.
Highlighting the evolution of GCCs in India, Omar Abdullah said what began as call centres and business process outsourcing operations had evolved into centres of innovation, talent, capability and enterprise.
"The story of GCCs in India is a story of evolution, as is the story of J&K," he said, adding that the transformation of GCCs demonstrated how capability-building and value addition could create new economic opportunities.
Drawing a parallel with J&K's own journey over the past three to three-and-a-half decades, he said the fact that the region was now being discussed as a potential destination for GCC investments reflected a significant shift in opportunities.
Acknowledging that J&K continued to face a perception challenge arising from its past, he said the government was working to address it through investments across industry, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and other emerging sectors, including GCCs.
The Chief Minister said J&K need not replicate the growth trajectories of established GCC hubs such as Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai, but could learn from their experiences and position itself to compete with Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
"Coming late to the party is disappointing, but it is not always disadvantageous. We can learn from the experiences of others. We don't have to reinvent the wheel. We have to use it better," he said.
He pointed out that the rising cost of doing business in larger cities had created opportunities for emerging destinations.
J&K, he said, could capitalise on this by building on its inherent advantages and offering an attractive environment for businesses to establish and expand operations.
Underscoring the importance of educational institutions in developing a skilled workforce, Omar Abdullah highlighted the presence of institutions such as IIM Jammu, IIT Jammu, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, the University of Jammu, the University of Kashmir and the Islamic University of Science and Technology.
He said these institutions were producing talented and well-educated young people who were often compelled to seek employment opportunities outside the region, including in the GCC sector, because of limited opportunities at home.
The establishment of GCCs in J&K, he added, could help retain local talent, create quality employment and connect the region's educated youth with emerging opportunities in the technology-driven economy.
The Chief Minister said the success of the summit should not be measured by an immediate target of establishing a large number of GCCs, but by creating a foundation for sustainable growth.
"We'd be quite happy to have one first GCC. One will lead to five. Five will lead to ten. And the story will grow from there," he said, stressing that the government wanted investors to choose J&K on the strength of its business potential rather than sympathy for its past challenges.
Emphasising that commercial viability would remain central to attracting and retaining investment, Omar Abdullah said businesses would continue to operate in a destination only as long as it made economic sense for them.
The Chief Minister highlighted the government's efforts to improve the business environment, including the passage of comprehensive Ease of Doing Business legislation during the recent session of the Legislative Assembly, which received the assent of the J&K L-G and has become law.
He said the legislation was intended to make doing business in J&K easier, adding that its implementation on the ground would be critical.
The government, he said, would learn from experience and undertake further improvements wherever required.
Describing the summit as an opportunity for the government to learn from industry leaders and established GCC ecosystems, he said the deliberations would help identify measures needed to make J&K a more attractive investment destination.
He said the government was keen to build sustained engagement with NASSCOM and other industry stakeholders and invited companies to explore the region's potential.
Pointing to J&K's climatic conditions and connectivity by road, rail and air, Omar Abdullah said the region had inherent advantages that could be developed into a compelling proposition for businesses considering new locations.
Assuring support to investors, he said the government was committed to making it easier for companies to establish operations in J&K and operate profitably.
Expressing hope that the summit would mark the beginning of a long-term association between J&K and the GCC industry, he said emerging technologies could open new opportunities for regions such as J&K.
The Chief Minister thanked the participating industry leaders and delegates for their engagement and appreciated IIM Jammu for organising the summit.
He expressed hope that the deliberations would translate into tangible outcomes and meaningful investment opportunities on the ground.
With participation from around 45 organisations, more than 55 industry leaders and over 300 delegates, the J&K GCC Summit 2026 aims to strengthen engagement between policymakers, industry and academia and identify pathways for translating J&K's potential into investment, innovation, employment and sustainable economic growth.