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India’s tech talent adapts to AI era
IT professionals in India need to unlearn old skills and embrace artificial intelligence, automation and specialised domains as the country cements its position as a global tech hub
Gone are the days when an average IT professional’s resume boasted an arsenal of coding skills, projects and programming prowess. In the past two to three years, bragging rights have shifted from “what they know” to “what they can unlearn and relearn”. Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and other disruptive technologies, businesses are redefining their talent needs. So, what’s changing for tech talent in India?
With 5.9 million tech professionals, including four million in IT services and 1.9 million in global competency centres (GCCs), India is not just the largest talent hub, it’s also delivering deep-tech expertise, domain specialisation and techno-business leadership at an unmatched pace.
Mohammed Faraz Khan, partner and head of GCC practice for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Zinnov, a management consultancy, said: “The country’s 830,000 engineering and research and development (R&D) professionals, 120,000 AI engineers, and over 185 AI centres of excellence are driving next-generation innovation, from software-defined vehicles to AI-powered risk modelling and precision medicine.”
This talent pool is essential in India, considering the growth of GCCs in various cities and industries. Anitha Sarathy, head of India for people and culture at digital engineering firm Encora, noted that India has emerged as a key tech talent hub for GCCs looking to build and expand their footprint over the past decade.
“The country now hosts over 1,700 GCCs. It’s not just the volume of talent, but also the evolving capabilities and roles of these centres, that are shifting toward ownership of product development, innovation and strategic business functions,” she said.
Narane Gundabathula, executive manager of talent acquisition at Hexagon R&D India, noted that many GCCs in India are now centres of excellence, driving key capabilities such as AI, cloud computing, cyber security and digital twins.
Akshay Mathur, vice-president of Everest Group, a market research firm, added that with technology-driven transformation accelerating across industries, demand for these specialised skills is expected to rise in the second half of 2025.
AI and mid-level talent
However, the talent pool also faces significant unlearning and relearning challenges. Anjali Sinha, vice-president of people strategy at Publicis Sapient, said while India has been recognised for its deep technical expertise, the conversation today extends beyond mere talent availability.
Milind Shah, managing director for India at Randstad Digital, a staffing and technology services firm, noted that while the country produces a vast number of engineering graduates each year, many require additional training to meet industry standards, particularly in applied AI, automation and advanced analytics.
A shortage of mid-level talent also exists in outsourcing deals and cloud migration projects, where experience and domain expertise matter. Rekha Alagappan, country HR manager at SBM Offshore India, said a key opportunity in today’s talent market lies in professionals who can integrate emerging technologies, such as AI, and sustainable practices into traditional industries.
Glory Nelson, country head for India at Xebia, an IT consultancy, concurred, noting that while there’s a rush for AI certifications, translating them into real-world skills is proving difficult.
“Deficiencies are particularly evident in AI-native engineering, guardrail building and generative AI, AI security and AI governance,” Nelson said. “Simply having certifications is not enough – there is strong demand for specialists who possess the expertise to build AI models for real-world applications and effectively manage their scaling in business settings.”
Beside hiring for AI, Sinha said India is also enabling AI fluency across its workforce. “For us, the ability to unlearn and relearn as technologies evolve is what sets great talent apart. Mastery of foundational skills in Java, React, cloud, data and quality engineering are still essential, but the real differentiator is the ability to embed AI into these disciplines.”
The demographics of India’s talent pool are also noteworthy. While Gen Z have a basic understanding of AI, they often lack the real-world skills that jobs demand. Meanwhile, millennials may be leading the charge on AI breakthroughs, but the focus must transition towards handling risk, compliance and the big picture, as Khan and Nelson argued.
Moreover, the geography of talent is changing significantly. Shah noted. “With the Indian IT workforce strength being close to six million, a key trend is the increasing presence of tech talent beyond metropolitan hubs, with 12-15% now based in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities,” he said.
Read more about IT in India
- India has earmarked significant investments in AI, global capability centres and digital public infrastructure while boosting training and education in its latest budget.
- Global biopharmaceutical giant Takeda opens its first Asian Innovation Capability Centre in Bengaluru to speed up drug discovery and development.
- Qlik is expanding its presence in Asia-Pacific with a cloud region in India to meet the growing demand for data-driven decision-making capabilities.
- Indian fintech companies are leveraging AI and blockchain to address underserved customer segments, unearth hidden revenue opportunities and create innovative products.
