Indian IT/tech ecosystem is projected to contribute 10 per cent to India’s GDP by 2025, with at least 20 per cent rise in emerging tech roles next year, a report showed on Monday.
The generative (GenAI) industry alone is projected to 1 million new job opportunities by 2028, contributing significantly to the nation’s GDP, according to the report by FirstMeridian Business Services.
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Salaries for GenAI positions like Generative AI engineer, Algorithm engineer and AI security specialist are forecast to rise from the previous year, indicating a 25-30 per cent upward trend in compensation for mid-level category.
Industries like global capability centres (GCCs) created over 600,000 jobs between 2018-19 and 2023-24. By 2030, they are projected to employ 2.5 to 2.8 million professionals, said the report.
Additionally, other non-tech sectors like BFSI and telecom are likely to increase their intake of IT/tech professionals in the coming year.
“Companies must prioritise reskilling and upskilling to foster innovation and maintain a competitive edge in the AI-driven economy. The top five skills expected to define AI roles in 2025 will be AI, ML, cloud computing, data science and cyber security,” said Sunil Nehra, CEO-IT Staffing, FirstMeridian Business Services.
In 2024, the Indian IT/tech ecosystem witnessed a 17 per cent surge in new employment opportunities, driven by rapid digital transformation and the concurrent rising demand for emerging tech niche job profiles.
As businesses expand and innovate, the surge in hiring will support new projects, enhance digital infrastructure, and keep pace with technological advancements.
Majority of large enterprises and mid-sized companies are expected to marginally increase their upskilling budgets by an average of 15-20 per cent in 2025.
Additionally, individuals will continue taking initiative for their own upskilling efforts to prepare for promising new-age tech roles, the report mentioned.
An emerging sector set to thrive in 2025 is the Indian IT gig economy, projected to grow by 3X and employ 24 million people by 2030, in which a majority will be created in 2025 and 2026 in high-demand skill areas such as AI engineers, data analysts and cybersecurity professionals.
A new wave of growth is emerging in the Indian IT sector, extending beyond tier 1 cities to include tier 2 and 3 towns.
“This shift is expected to fuel more than 35 per cent increase in hiring across these regions by 2025 with Tier 2 cities like Jaipur, Indore and Coimbatore leading the way,” the report noted.
