The first day of the J&K GCC Summit 2026, hosted by the Indian Institute of Jammu in collaboration with the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, with NASSCOM as the Knowledge Partner, commenced at the IIM Jammu campus. The summit brought together senior government officials, industry leaders, GCC experts, policymakers and academicians to explore strategies for positioning Jammu & Kashmir as an emerging destination for Global Capability Centres (GCCs).
The inaugural ceremony at Mandapam commenced with the National Song and National Anthem, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and Saraswati Vandana by IIM Jammu students. The occasion was graced by Shri Omar Abdullah, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir (Online Mode); Shri Atal Dulloo, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Jammu & Kashmir; Shri Ram Niwas Sharma, IAS, Commissioner/Secretary, Higher Education Department; Shri Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, IAS, Secretary, Department of Labour & Employment; Shri Rajesh Nambiar, President, NASSCOM; and Shri Rajendra Singh Pawar, Chairman, NIIT. The dignitaries were felicitated by Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, who presided over the inaugural session. Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean, Faculty and Research, and Prof. Nitin Upadhyay, Dean, Academics, IIM Jammu, graced the inaugural ceremony.
The discussions throughout the day underscored the importance of leveraging Jammu & Kashmir’s talent, improving the business environment, strengthening digital and physical infrastructure, and aligning skills with global industry requirements. The summit brought together representatives from approximately 45 organisations, over 55 industry leaders and more than 300 delegates, providing a platform for collaboration among policymakers, industry and academia.
The first day concluded with a cultural programme showcasing the colours and cultural heritage of Jammu & Kashmir, presented by Padma Shri Dr. Balwant Thakur, followed by dinner. The inaugural day set the tone for continued deliberations on building a competitive GCC ecosystem that connects local talent with global opportunities and advances investment, innovation, employment and sustainable economic growth across the Union Territory.