The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), through its Global Trade & Services Committee, inaugurated the first edition of ICAI Global Orbit Summit 2026 in New Delhi today, marking the commencement of a nationwide series of summit dedicated to strengthening India's position as the global destination for Global Capability Centres (GCCs). The event was hosted by Northern Indian Regional Council of ICAI.
Organised under the theme “ICAI Global Orbit: From GCCs to Global Leadership", the Summit served as a strategic platform to foster dialogue, encourage innovation and generate actionable insights for advancing India's GCC ecosystem, one of the fastest-growing pillars of the global services economy.
The Summit was inaugurated by CA. Prasanna Kumar D, President, ICAI, in the presence of CA. Charanjot Singh Nanda, Immediate Past President, ICAI; CA. Sanjib Sanghi, Chairman, Global Trade & Services Committee; CA. (Dr.) Sanjeev Kumar Singhal, Central Council Member, ICAI and CA. Navya Malhotra, Chairman, NIRC of ICAI.
Addressing the gathering, CA. Prasanna Kumar D, President, ICAI, said, “What began as back-office support functions has transformed into a dynamic ecosystem delivering high-value services in finance, accounting, taxation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, analytics, ESG reporting, legal, governance and business transformation.
India is uniquely placed to become a global hub for Global Capability Centres and Chartered Accountants have that expertise and professional strength to lead and drive GCCs globally, contributing to India's journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047."
Speaking on the occasion, CA. Sanjib Sanghi, Chairman, Global Trade & Services Committee, said: "India is home to over 2,100 Global Capability Centres (GCCs), employing nearly 2.36 million professionals and generating close to USD 100 billion in annual revenue.
This represents a significant opportunity for the accountancy profession. The ICAI Global Summit Platform will serve as a dynamic forum for knowledge exchange, cross-industry collaboration, and policy dialogue, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, GCCs, academia, and the accountancy profession to shape the future of this rapidly evolving ecosystem."
The summit featured a series of thought-provoking sessions and dialogues aimed at shaping the future of GCCs in India. Eminent speakers and industry leaders shared practical perspectives and future-ready strategies on various aspects like Finance Innovation, AI & Automation, Data Privacy, ESG & Sustainability, Ethics & Governance, Accounting & Compliance, Cyber Security, Talent Development, GCC Setup & Strategy, Global Taxation, HR & Workforce, Marketing Strategy and Process Transformation.
Industry experts shared actionable insights on emerging technologies, evolving regulations, future skills and business transformation, to enhance India's competitiveness as a global hub for high-value services. The ICAI Global Summit 2026 marks the beginning of a nationwide series that will bring together policymakers, global corporations, industry leaders, academia and finance professionals across India to deliberate on emerging opportunities, policy reforms, technological advancements and the future of GCCs.
Following the successful launch in New Delhi, ICAI's Global Summit Series 2026 will continue across the country with upcoming editions in Ahmedabad (24 July), Mumbai (16–17 October), Bengaluru (23–24 October), Hyderabad (13–14 November), Pune (21–22 November) and Chennai (January 2027).
The event is supported by ecosystem partners - Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC); The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA); National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU); National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and IIM Sambalpur.
ICAI’s growing role in the Global Capability Centre (GCC) ecosystem will strengthen professional mobility by aligning Indian Chartered Accountants with global business standards and emerging skill requirements. Through targeted capacity-building programmes, ICAI is nurturing a future-ready workforce equipped with digital, analytical and cross-border competencies.
This will expand global career opportunities, foster knowledge exchange and enhance international recognition of the profession. By enabling seamless delivery of finance, assurance, taxation, and advisory services, ICAI will also facilitate bilateral trade in services, promote market integration, reduce compliance barriers and strengthen India’s position as a trusted global hub for high-value professional services.
Through this nationwide initiative, ICAI aims to bring together government, industry, academia and finance professionals to drive dialogue, innovation and policy collaboration while reinforcing India's emergence as a global leader in accounting, finance and digitally enabled professional services.
About ICAI
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is a statutory body set up by an Act of Parliament under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 for the regulation and development of the profession of Chartered Accountancy in India. The Institute functions under the administrative supervision of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India.
With over 15 Lakh Members and Students, today ICAI is the largest professional accountancy body in the world. ICAI has a wide network of 5 Regional Councils and 186 Branches within India and a global presence with 54 Overseas Chapters and 31 Representative Offices spanning 85 cities across 47 Countries worldwide.