Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerged as the defining hiring force in 2025 in India, with 290,256 AI-linked roles posted last year, a report showed on January 13. This momentum is set to accelerate further, with AI hiring projected to grow 32 per cent year-on-year in 2026 to nearly 3.8 lakh roles, said the report by foundit (formerly Monster APAC & ME).
India’s job market closed 2025 with renewed confidence, clocking sustained hiring growth across sectors, roles and cities. Hiring activity rose 5 per cent month-on-month and 15 per cent (on-year), signalling a clear shift from cautious recovery to measured expansion. “2025 was both a year of expansion and discipline in hiring,” said Tarun Sharma, Chief Product and Technology officer, Foundit.
AI is no longer experimental; it is central to workforce planning. In 2026, hiring will be increasingly skills-led, mid-career-focused, and spread across both Tier 1 and emerging Tier 2 talent hubs, he mentioned. This convergence of core industries and AI adoption will continue to position India as a global talent powerhouse.
IT-Software and Services held the largest share of AI jobs at 37 per cent, followed by BFSI (15.8 per cent) and Manufacturing (6 per cent). BFSI recorded 41 per cent YoY growth, while Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals (38 per cent), Retail (31 per cent), Logistics (30 per cent), and Telecom (29 per cent) posted strong gains, said the report. Generative AI and LLM skills showed the fastest growth, with demand rising nearly 60 per cent YoY — driven by copilots, chatbots, and enterprise GenAI platforms.
Bengaluru retained leadership with a 26 per cent share of AI jobs. Hyderabad recorded the fastest Tier 1 growth, while Jaipur, Indore and Mysuru led Tier 2 gains.