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Our President at Zinnov Confluence 2026 | Bengaluru — Taking Mohali to the Global GCC Map

It is a proud moment for the Mohali IT City IT Companies Association (MITCA) as our President, Mr. Manipal Dhariwal, represented Punjab as a Brand Ambassador for IT and GCC investments at Zinnov Confluence 2026 – GCC Excellence, held on 19–20 August in Bengaluru.

As President of MITCAand CEO & Co-Founder of Netsmartz Group, Mr. Dhariwal was invited by the Invest Punjab team to participate in showcasing Punjab—and particularly Mohali-Tricity—as an emerging and competitive destination for technology companies and Global Capability Centres (GCCs).

The 19th edition of Zinnov Confluence, centred around the theme “Winning the AI Race,” brought together global technology leaders, GCC decision-makers, investors, innovators and policymakers to discuss the future of AI, talent, technology, R&D and next-generation operating models.

The event provided an excellent platform to strengthen Punjab’s outreach to the global technology ecosystem and create greater visibility for Mohali as North India’s emerging IT and GCC destination.

Hon’ble Minister of Industries & Commerce, Shri Aman Arora, along with Shri Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Industries & Commerce; Shri Amit Dhaka, IAS, CEO, Invest Punjab; and Ms. Seema Bansal, Vice Chairperson, PDC, were among the senior dignitaries present, alongside leading government and industry stakeholders.

Prof. Rudra Pratap, Founding Vice Chancellor, Plaksha University, also attended the event, adding an important academic and innovation perspective to the discussions around technology and talent.

Building Mohali’s GCC Proposition

A key highlight was the exclusive Invest Punjab GCC Roundtable with senior leaders from global GCCs, technology, R&D, AI and innovation companies. The discussions explored how Punjab, particularly Mohali-Tricity,can position itself to attract the next generation of high-value GCCs and technology-led investments.

Mr. Manipal Dhariwal also had a productive discussion with the Managing Director, ANSR, exploring opportunities to further strengthen Mohali’s GCC ecosystem. The discussion focused on leveragingANSR’s expertise in building and scaling GCCs alongside Punjab’s growing talent pool, infrastructure and investment proposition, with a shared vision of attracting and enabling the next wave of high-value GCCs in Mohali.

The conference also provided valuable opportunities to engage with senior leaders from Festo India, Takeda, Persistent Systems, Zinnov, Nasscom, Wingrox and other leading GCC and market-entry advisory organisations, further strengthening industry connections and opening avenues for future collaboration.

The broader conversations centred around:

• Talent and technology

• AI, R&D and innovation

• GCC expansion and market entry

• Technology-led investment opportunities

• Building a competitive ecosystem beyond India’s traditional metropolitan hubs

From Punjab to the Global Technology Ecosystem

MITCA’s continued engagement with the Government of Punjab and Invest Punjab to position Mohali as North India’s IT & GCC Hub is gaining momentum.

The objective is clear—to take the Mohali story to the right global audiences, create investor interest, build strategic partnerships and position the region as a compelling destination for the next wave of technology and GCC growth.

The momentum is building.

We are encouraged by the strong support extended by the Government of Punjaband the interest and conversations generated at Zinnov Confluence 2026. We look forward to building on this momentum and converting these engagements into meaningful opportunities for Mohali and Punjab.

With the right ecosystem, talent, infrastructure and continued government-industry collaboration, Mohali is ready for the next wave of GCC growth.

From Punjab to the global technology ecosystem.

From Mohali to the next generation of GCCs.