Driving the future: Why India is at the heart of HARMAN Automotive’s global innovation strategy

In this exclusive authored piece for YourStory’s latest report titled ‘Building Tomorrow’s GCCs', Krishna Kumar, Managing Director and Automotive Country R&D Leader at HARMAN India, shares insights on the company's progress in future mobility and a workplace model that reflects global innovation principles.

At HARMAN Automotive, we’ve always believed that great innovation starts with asking the right questions of our customers, our markets, and ourselves. Over the years, India has not just helped us answer some of those questions but has become central to how we define the future of mobility and connected experiences.

Let me start with where we are today. HARMAN globally is a leader in automotive technologies, lifestyle products, professional audio, and digital transformation services.

Our India GCC has played a pivotal role in this journey, with over 4,000 automotive specialists across Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, and Gurugram. From infotainment platforms and connected car solutions to premium in-cabin experiences, the engineering and R&D muscle we’ve built in India powers both global programs and India-specific innovations.

Take the Saras and Nalanda platforms, for instance. These were born out of a very specific need: to deliver world-class functionality at significantly lower cost points. What began as a bold internal bet ended up becoming a modular architecture that has shipped in millions of vehicles globally. That’s a proud Made-in-India innovation story, built by a small, cross-continental team and led by a passionate bunch here in India.

Since then, the India center has grown into a full-stack innovation hub. We are not just building software—we’re owning the entire lifecycle from ideation to productization. Whether it’s our Ready series products that drastically reduce go-to-market timelines or innovations in connected tech like Ready Connect or Ready Engage, our teams here are imagining what’s next and executing at a global scale.

The reason we’re able to do this out of India boils down to a few critical factors—talent, culture, and relevance. India has the scale, but it also has depth. Engineers here bring not just technical skills, but domain understanding and a willingness to take ownership. That’s why we have many tenured leaders across our GCC who’ve stayed, grown, and even returned after brief stints elsewhere.

Of course, hiring isn’t always easy, especially in deep-tech areas like embedded systems, automotive AI, or V2X connectivity. But the right work culture and mission-driven engineering challenges attract the right people. Our flexible work models, emphasis on work-life integration, and people-first culture have helped us keep attrition well below industry averages.

Our collaborations with universities are also becoming deeper. Beyond campus hiring, we are now working on joint innovation programs that aim to bridge the gap between academia and industry. I often say that India must learn from the US model of a stronger university-industry connection. It’s one of the biggest levers we have to boost long-term innovation capacity.

When it comes to startup collaboration, we’ve taken a more deliberate approach. One notable example is the acquisition of Savari, a company focused on V2X and 5G edge solutions. It was a strategic play for us, and we’re building on those capabilities today. We’re also developing a 5-year roadmap where working with startups and universities will be a core pillar of our India GCC strategy.

Let me also be candid about the challenges. While India remains a strategic hotspot, we can’t take its leadership for granted. Alternatives are emerging in Romania, Mexico, and even parts of Southeast Asia. But what India has that others can’t easily replicate is the unique blend of skill and scale. That said, we need to work harder, especially on physical infrastructure, urban design, and Tier II readiness.

Tier II cities are frequently in the spotlight, but we must get real about what it takes to scale in these locations. Yes, cities like Mysuru, Coimbatore, and Indore have promise. But they need consistent connectivity, quality real estate, and social infrastructure that makes employees want to stay. In the US, even the smallest towns have the same experience, thanks to the “cookie-cutter” model of urban planning. That’s what India needs to learn from.

At HARMAN, we’re open to evaluating these newer hubs, but it has to be a complete ecosystem play. Talent availability, lifestyle amenities, digital infrastructure, everything has to click.

Lastly, ESG is an integral part of how we think about our operations. Our Pune manufacturing plant, for example, already draws a portion of its energy from solar.

Across our campuses, we prioritize access to public transport (metro connectivity), recycled water, and new-age green buildings. More importantly, our hybrid-first culture ensures reduced commute, better flexibility, and stronger employee wellbeing

To every global GCC leader considering India: The question is no longer why India, but how fast can we build here? From streamlined incorporation processes to thriving tech clusters, India today offers a playbook that’s ready. The competition will be intense, but the opportunity is massive.

We’re not just building software in India; we’re building future mobility, digital platforms, and a workplace model that reflects the future of global innovation.

This article is excerpted from YourStory’s latest report, 'Building Tomorrow's GCCs'.

(Click here to download the report)