The demand for artificial intelligence talent in India has surged to an all-time high, with AI-related roles now making up 11.7% of all job postings on Indeed, according to the latest data from Indeed Hiring Lab. This marks a sharp rise from 10.6% three months ago and 8.2% in the same period last year, putting India just behind Singapore in global AI job posting rankings.
Callam Pickering, Indeed’s Senior Economist for APAC, noted, “India ranks highly against all markets we track. Apart from India, only Singapore has a higher share of postings mentioning artificial intelligence. Employers here have gone all-in on AI.”
This upward trend highlights how AI is becoming a mainstream requirement across sectors and job profiles, not just within the technology industry.
AI Expands Across Industries
While technology remains the dominant source of AI hiring, other sectors are rapidly catching up. Nearly 39% of data and analytics postings mention AI skills, followed by software development roles at 23%, insurance at 18%, and scientific research at 17%.
Engineering disciplines are also seeing growing demand for AI integration. Job descriptions in industrial engineering referenced AI in 17% of listings, while mechanical and electrical engineering stood at 11% and 9.2%, respectively. The rise reflects how AI applications — spanning predictive maintenance, automation, and product design — are increasingly woven into traditional engineering roles.
Hiring Trends Show Divergence
Despite the AI boom, overall job postings across India fell by 0.8% in September — the sixth straight monthly decline, leaving them 16.2% lower year-over-year. However, postings still remain 69% above pre-pandemic levels, indicating that India’s job market, though cooling, remains robust compared to global averages.
Sectorally, roles in community and social service (up 10.4%) and pharmacy (up 9.9%) saw growth, while banking and finance (-25.5%), education (-22.2%), and healthcare occupations such as physicians and surgeons (-20.9%) experienced sharper slowdowns. Software development, a traditionally resilient category, saw modest growth of 0.4%, suggesting that AI-related hiring is cushioning the broader tech slowdown.
Skill Gaps in a Transforming Workforce
While AI-fueled hiring momentum is evident, employers continue to grapple with skill gaps across key domains. Many organizations are seeking candidates skilled in AI tools such as machine learning platforms, data analytics, and automation — areas where India’s talent supply has yet to catch up with accelerating demand.
Indeed’s report also shows how formal employment continues to expand despite softer overall hiring. As more Indian companies digitize operations, formal sector job creation is expected to outpace general employment growth. “This ongoing transition is why job postings in India remain stronger than in most other markets, both during the post-pandemic hiring boom and the current slowdown,” Pickering added.
India’s AI-Driven Employment Future
Industry analysts say India’s strong digital foundation, deep STEM talent base, and early adoption of generative AI tools position it well to sustain long-term AI job growth. Even as companies recalibrate headcounts, AI continues to generate new roles in data engineering, model optimization, and AI governance — roles that require hybrid expertise across technology, analytics, and business strategy.
With India accounting for a major share of emerging-market technology hiring, its growing emphasis on AI readiness will likely be critical for keeping its labor market globally competitive. The latest Indeed Hiring Lab findings underline a structural shift, India’s job market is steadily evolving from volume-based hiring to a skills-first economy, centered around the transformative power of AI.
