Amid the tech sector crisis, which has been marked by layoffs at companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, and TCS, new data on the Indian labor market has emerged. According to Layoffs.fyi statistics, over 131 thousand technology employees have lost their jobs since the beginning of 2026.
However, hiring reports indicate that while hiring rates are slowing down globally, the Indian labor market is in a better position compared to many major economies. According to a report by Ben & Company, the number of job postings in India decreased by 5% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026.
Meanwhile, the demand for artificial intelligence (AI) specialists continued to grow worldwide. A global market trend analysis published as part of the Global Job Market Trends report notes that from April to June 2026, hiring demand weakened in large markets, various industries, and business functions. Although hiring pressure persists across all sectors, companies are still actively seeking people with niche skills.
When comparing India with ten major labor markets, the decrease in job vacancies in India was significantly smaller compared to other countries. For instance, France saw a 40% drop in vacancies, Brazil saw a 39% drop, and the Netherlands saw a 33% drop. Germany's figure was 27%, and the US's was 23%. China saw a 10% decline, the UK saw a 9% decline, Japan saw a 7% decline, and Canada saw a 4% decline.
Despite the overall decrease in job vacancies in India, noticeable pressure was felt regarding entry-level and junior positions. According to the report, in the second quarter of 2026, the number of job postings for junior and entry-level roles was 11% lower compared to the same period last year; in the first quarter, this decrease was 6%. Furthermore, the share of junior positions in the total number of vacancies reached 95% in the second quarter.
A significant decline was also noted in several traditional corporate functions. The largest drop was recorded in research, design, and development—a 37% decrease. This was followed by sales and marketing with a 32% drop. By industry, the situation was mixed: vacancies fell by 27% in strategy and analytics, 25% in IT, and 24% in finance. However, the impact of this downturn on engineering positions was relatively small, with only a 7% decrease, whereas general administrative management saw a 13% reduction.
Parallel to the contraction in some areas, the demand for AI-related positions was rising. In the second quarter of 2026, the global number of AI vacancies reached approximately 351 thousand, which is 60% more than in the same period last year and 12% more than in the previous quarter. Nevertheless, the share of such vacancies in the overall hiring volume remained low.
At the same time, hiring increased in some other sectors. Vacancies in venture capital and private equity increased by 47% year-on-year. Growth was also recorded in capital markets at 26%, computer and network security at 19%, and defense and aerospace industries at 13%. Overall, the report indicates that despite the slowdown in the hiring market, employment opportunities are growing in certain niche areas.