STARBUCKS is set to create around 800 new technology jobs in the southern Indian city of Chennai, after signing a pact with the Tamil Nadu state government to establish a global capability center (GCC), the state said Monday.
The investment figure was not disclosed.
The move adds to a wave of global investment flowing into India's tech ecosystem, positioning the country as an increasingly indispensable hub for the world's biggest brands.
Starbucks runs about 500 cafes in India through its joint venture with Tata Consumer Products.
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The announcement comes days after US pharmacy chain Walgreens signed a similar pact to open a GCC in Chennai, which already hosts tech centers for global firms including Citi, Barclays and American Express and accounts for roughly a tenth of India's total GCC base.
Starbucks technology chief Anand Varadarajan credited Chennai's skilled workforce, lower staff attrition and strong infrastructure for the decision, according to a state government press release.
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The deal shows India's emergence as the world's largest hub for global capability centers, now numbering more than 2,100 and employing about 2.36 million people, generating nearly $100 billion in revenue, according to a 2026 Nasscom-Zinnov report.
Once limited to back-office support, GCCs are increasingly powering higher-value work including finance, software development and research — a shift that's turning cities like Chennai into genuine centers of global innovation, not just cost-saving outposts.
