AI hiring in India's IT sector grows 16% as traditional IT jobs drop 3%

A survey from Indian job platform Naukri shows local IT companies are reshaping their workforce. AI job postings grew 16% in June compared to last year, while overall IT hiring dropped 3% in the same period.

The report covers hiring data from over 150,000 companies. The rise in AI hiring shows tech firms are shifting resources to new areas amid rapid changes. India's IT sector is worth about $315 billion, but weak economy and AI are hurting traditional business models.

Hitesh Oberoi, CEO of Naukri's parent Info Edge, said companies are still investing in AI. India's top software exporter Tata Consultancy Services expects slower hiring and plans to match employee and AI agent numbers. Last July, it cut over 12,000 jobs, and net headcount dropped more than 23,000 by March 2026.