The Indian IT industry hiring slowdown continues as global technology services face disruption. Rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) platforms is automating many job roles, while U.S. tariffs under Trump’s policies have further dampened business confidence. This double impact has pushed firms to cut costs and limit new hiring. The Indian IT industry hiring slowdown is being felt most by freshers and junior employees.
Global tech majors like Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Oracle have already laid off staff across the U.S. and India. Indian IT giants such as TCS, Infosys, HCLTech, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, and LTIMindtree added just 3,847 employees in Q1 FY26, a sharp drop from 13,935 in the previous quarter. HR experts believe the July–September period may show similar weak numbers.
Fresh engineering graduates face tough times as companies cut campus hiring. Junior employees with 2–3 years of experience also see fewer opportunities, forcing many to stay put in their current jobs. However, demand for highly skilled talent in cloud, data analytics, cybersecurity, AI, and ML remains strong.
Experts advise IT professionals to upskill quickly. Meanwhile, India’s Global Capability Centre (GCC) ecosystem continues to offer steady hiring, keeping India a key global talent hub despite current challenges.
