Smaller cities beating many congested state capitals in GCC race
Published on: Jan. 15, 2026, 6 a.m. | Source: The Economic Times
India’s tier-II towns are emerging as credible global technology and innovation hubs, driven less by cost arbitrage and more by the promise of talent retention, specialised ecosystems, and quality of life beyond the industry's traditional metro bailiwicks. From Karnataka’s coastal belt to West Bengal’s rust belt, founders and technology leaders say smaller cities are increasingly outcompeting congested state capitals for deep-tech, AI and R&D work.
