Why Target Is Betting Bigger on India Than Ever Before. What Are They Really Building?
Target is expanding the strategic role of its India operations, with its Bengaluru centre evolving into a deeply integrated global capability hub rather than functioning as a traditional back-office operation.
Andrea Zimmerman, Senior Vice President and President of Target in India, said the India organisation has grown significantly over the past 21 years, both in workforce and in the value it contributes to Target’s global business.
Target’s Bengaluru centre currently has around 5,700 professionals working across technology, merchandising, store design, marketing, finance and operations. Technology accounts for approximately 40% of the workforce, while the remaining teams support a wide range of functions across the company’s value chain.
Zimmerman described Target’s India operation as a highly integrated global team, with leaders in both India and the US managing global responsibilities. This reflects the broader evolution of India’s Global Capability Centres, which are increasingly taking ownership of strategic and business-critical functions rather than focusing primarily on cost-efficient support.
The scale of Target India’s contribution is already visible across the business. Teams based in India design and deliver around 80% of Target’s store remodels, while also supporting the company’s marketing and technology capabilities.
The shift is also happening alongside greater adoption of AI and automation. Target India has previously highlighted how its teams are using AI across marketing, including helping copywriters create advertising content faster and respond more quickly to changing trends.
For Target, the India centre is therefore becoming more than a talent or delivery hub. It is increasingly part of the company’s global decision-making, innovation and execution engine.
Zimmerman’s focus going forward is clear: continue expanding capabilities and increase the impact Target India has on the company’s overall strategy.
The development also reflects a broader trend across India’s GCC ecosystem. Global companies are increasingly moving technology, product development, analytics, marketing and other high-value functions into their India centres, using AI and access to specialised talent to do more work in-house.
What this means: Target’s India story is no longer primarily about scale or headcount. It is about how much strategic value can be created from India and how deeply the country’s talent can be integrated into a global business.
