TFS Gulf 
- On 13th September, PwC announced that PwC US’ India Acceleration Centres + PwC India’s consulting arm are becoming one.
- According to The Financial Times, this joint venture would unify 40,000 professionals.
- The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals.
So what’s exactly happening at PwC?
For years, PwC US relied on its Indian capability centres, also known as Acceleration Centres (ACs).
Established in 2010, ACs became a trusted source of specialised talent, providing overnight support to PwC US teams across Advisory, Assurance, and Tax.
A PwC US consultant told Business Insider:
“Oftentimes, PwC India Acceleration Centres couldn’t keep up with the huge inflow of work that came in from the US.
So the US teams had to turn to PwC India.
Since PwC US’s India Acceleration Centres operate independently from PwC India’s consulting business, the rates and terms had to be renegotiated.
This created unnecessary project delays.”
Solution? A Joint venture between PwC India and PwC US that unifies the 10,000 PwC AC employees with PwC India’s 33,000-strong workforce, removing this internal ‘middleman’, PwC AC.
But here is the interesting part
On paper, PwC US will own the larger stake.
- 50.1% PwC US.
- 49.9% PwC India.
But according to The Economic Times, operating control will sit with PwC India.
PwC India Chairperson Sanjeev Krishan will become CEO of the new venture (Currently, Rohit Talwar is the Managing Director at PwC Acceleration Centre India).
That is a significant shift.
Also read: PwC exit low-performing markets & cut ties with risky clients
And then there is AI
This move comes at a time when AI is forcing professional services firms to “rethink” the economics of how work gets delivered.
With AI killing the “cheap back-office” model, the future of offshore consulting is building an integrated, AI-driven technology engine.
In fact, PwC has explicitly said the new platform/JV brings:
- Technology
- Engineering
- AI capabilities together at greater scale
What’s interesting is Sanjeev Krishan, PwC India Chairperson, told FT that: “Clients transforming their businesses with AI are likely to outsource more work over time.”
What are PwC employees thinking?
PwC India talent is excited as they get access to global engagements.
But the move has triggered anxiety among professionals at PwC US and Acceleration Centres.
- US workforce concerns: Will accelerating the shift of high-value advisory work to India shrink onshore opportunities?
- Offshore talent uncertainty: What happens to AC leadership? Will compensation, appraisal cycles, and ways of working change? Could there be layoffs?
- The AI Paradox: If generative AI increases efficiency, why are offshore Delivery Centres continuing to expand so rapidly?
Wrapping up…
PwC is not the first Big Four firm to attempt this strategy.
In April 2025, KPMG India sold its entire 33% stake in KPMG Global Services (KGS) to its US and UK counterparts.
And in mid-2025, KPMG completed “Project Himalaya,” uniting its US, UK, and Indian advisory operations under a shared structure.
But according to a KPMG India insider: “The expected growth in work, employees and revenue…has not happened!”
The insider also pointed out that there has been “no major inflow of global work to KPMG India (geopolitics could be one reason)” and “no surge in the overall employee chargeability.”
So, KPMG’s Project Himalaya shows that unifying teams on paper is only the first step; the real test is whether high-value advisory work actually follows to this 40,000-strong platform.
Many predict that under Sanjeev Krishan’s leadership, this JV will be a success!
FAQs
Q: What is the difference between PwC India and PwC AC?
PwC India is a domestic member firm of the PWC International network that serves Indian clients. PwC India operates in 21 locations, including Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata.
PwC AC (Acceleration Centres) functions as a global delivery centre serving international markets like the US. It has offices in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Bangalore.
Q:. What was PwC India’s total revenue in FY25?
PwC India achieved a revenue of ₹9,200 crore in FY25, growing 22% YOY.
Q: What is PwC’s global revenue?
PwC reported a total revenue of US$56.9 billion for the months ending 30 June 2025. A 2.9% increase over the previous financial year’s gross revenue of US$55.3 billion.
