India Hiring Brief: IT and Manufacturing
According to TeamLease Services forecasts, India's labor market is expected to see a 5.4% workforce increase in the second half of fiscal year 2027 (October 2026 to March 2027), the highest across four half-years. The leading sectors are e-commerce, tech startups, travel, hospitality, and retail. Meanwhile, an analysis marking the 12th anniversary of 'Make in India' showed that manufacturing's employment ripple effect has stagnated.
India Job Market Weekly Briefing — 2026-09-26
IT and Manufacturing Hiring Trends
Highest cyclical half-year hiring outlook. According to the Employment Outlook Report by TeamLease Services, India's job market will show stronger hiring momentum from October 2026 to March 2027, with employers projecting a 5.4% workforce increase. This is the highest figure recorded across four half-year periods.
E-commerce, startups, travel, and retail lead the way. E-commerce and tech startups anticipate the highest employment growth, while the travel, hospitality, and retail sectors are also driving hiring plans. The hiring outlook has improved from 4.7% in the first half.
12 years of 'Make in India', manufacturing employment stagnates. As the 'Make in India' policy marks its 12th anniversary, analysis indicates that its achievements in manufacturing growth and job creation have been limited. While exports have increased, manufacturing's share of the economy and overall employment have stagnated.
Government emphasizes manufacturing, FDI, and AI-ready jobs. Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran emphasized that for India to become a developed nation, it needs to strengthen manufacturing, attract foreign direct investment (FDI), and expand AI-ready jobs. The focus on AI's specific impact on employment was also noted.
IITs bar 22 companies for unfulfilled job offers. Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have decided to bar 22 companies from campus placements for failing to honor job offers.
Employment Indicators and Unemployment Status
Unemployment rate shows slight improvement. India's unemployment rate dropped from 5.10% in July 2026 to 5.0% in August.
Regional disparities. District-level unemployment data across India shows that 77.8% of all districts have an unemployment rate of less than 5.5%.
Wage hikes stabilize, skill premiums expand. Salary increase rates in India are projected to stabilize at an average of 8% to 12% in 2026, and specialized talent can receive up to a 30% hike when changing jobs. AI/ML, semiconductors, renewable energy, and automotive and battery technologies are emerging as key skill areas.
Peak season hiring expansion. Logistics companies are significantly expanding hiring and handling capacity to manage peak season demand.
Job Seeker Trends and Remote Work Preferences
Notice on Lack of New Data
No new data regarding Indian job seekers' preferences for remote and flexible work was secured within this week's survey period (following 2026-09-19). As there are no reliable remote work preference statistics published within the last 7 days, this section cannot provide verifiable up-to-date figures. This week's briefing focused instead on hiring outlooks, wages, and employment indicators.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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