India's IT Hiring Surge in 2025: A New Era of Tech Growth

India's IT sector sees a significant hiring surge in 2025, with a 16% rise in job demand over 2024, reflecting renewed investment in tech. Mid-level professionals are most in demand, while AI, cloud, and cybersecurity emerge as key growth areas, according to a report by Quess Corp.

In 2025, India's Information Technology sector has experienced a remarkable revival, driven by a 16% increase in job demand compared to 2024, according to a report by Quess Corp. This resurgence reflects a renewed wave of technological investment, with demand predominantly focused on mid-level professionals who now constitute 65% of the workforce demand, up from 50% in the previous year. The report also highlights a significant decline in entry-level hiring, now at 15%, as companies prioritize experienced, productivity-ready talent. While leadership and expert roles remain smaller in scale, they are steadily growing.

The report further reveals that 88-90% of IT hiring is concentrated in Tier-1 cities, while Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities account for a modest 10-12% of demand. Despite these figures, cities like Ahmedabad, Kochi, Jaipur, and Coimbatore are emerging as leading secondary hubs. Meanwhile, the demand for AI, machine learning, cloud computing, and cybersecurity has surged by 30-42%, overshadowing core development roles that exhibit only modest growth. Legacy skills now represent less than 10% of demand and are in decline. Global Capability Centers have notably expanded their share of demand, increasing from 15% in 2024 to 27% in 2025, as global enterprises continue to bolster their innovation and engineering centers in India.

Despite a 10-20% decrease in startup hiring due to funding moderation, there are signs of improvement in late 2025, particularly within AI-first and fintech models. Mid-career professionals, combining technical expertise with industry experience, are the most sought-after talent segment. Moreover, hiring for leadership and specialized expertise roles has risen as companies invest in senior talent to drive new capabilities. Hybrid work models continue to thrive, with remote hiring focusing on niche AI or cloud roles outside Tier-1 cities. AI-centric skills, paired with cloud and cybersecurity expertise, now anchor India's tech demand, accounting for more than 46% of all incremental job creation between 2024 and 2025.

(With inputs from agencies.)