India's IT-BPM industry to hire under 70,000 in H1 FY27
India's IT-BPM industry is hitting pause on big hiring plans for the first half of fiscal 2027.
According to a HAN Digital report, companies are set to add fewer than 70,000 new employees, a sharp more than 26% drop from last year's 95,000.
Companies are leaning on AI-driven productivity, leaner operating models and flexible talent, with West Asia conflicts and macroeconomic uncertainty also contributing.
Hiring shifts to AI ML cybersecurity
The slowdown is showing up across the board: IT services, consulting, Big 4, and product engineering firms expect to hire just 22,000 to 25,000 people (down from 35,000 last year), while global capability centers could add only around 30,000 to 32,000 (compared to last year's 45,000).
Pure-play BPOs, MLOps players and tech startups are scaling back.
Instead of mass hiring sprees, companies now want talent in areas like AI/ML and cybersecurity.
Economic uncertainty and less tech spending (especially with the West Asia crisis) are making firms extra cautious about who they bring on board.