India shows strong hiring growth for Q1 2026, firms to invest in skills, tech and talent: Report
New Delhi, Dec 9 – A recent study released by LatestNewsX shows that Indian companies are experiencing a remarkably strong job market in the first quarter of 2026. More firms are willing to invest in skills development, technology upgrades, and talent recruitment.
The findings come from a ManpowerGroup India survey of 3,051 employers nationwide conducted in October 2025. The analysis reported a Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of 52 %, underscoring a strategic shift toward hiring quality over quantity.
The study points to several drivers of India’s faster‑than‑expected economic growth. A favourable monsoon spurred rural demand, lower oil prices kept costs down, U.S. tariff impacts were minimal, and reforms in the banking sector facilitated easier access to foreign lending— all of which helped companies expand and create jobs.
In parallel, India is ramping up efforts to use the rupee for cross‑border trade, aiming to reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar and strengthen long‑term economic resilience.
Overall, the sentiment among employers about hiring in the near term looks upbeat.
> “India’s hiring outlook is not just strong – it is signalling a new phase of economic confidence and capability‑building. What these trends truly reflect is India’s transition from volume‑led hiring to value creation: organisations are investing in the skills, technologies, and talent architectures that will define their competitiveness over the next decade,” said Sandeep Gulati, Managing Director, ManpowerGroup India and Middle East.
The report also flagged strong demand in finance, professional services, manufacturing, and real estate— sectors that reflect employers preparing for a more digital, regulated, and innovation‑driven economy, Gulati added.
> “As we move into 2026, India will shape its talent market around three fundamentals: critical skills, technological leverage, and purposeful expansion,” said Gulati.
Further, the survey showed that companies across all nine industry groups expect increased staffing in Q1 2026. Three‑quarters of respondents (63 %) plan to raise headcounts, 24 % anticipate holding staffing levels steady, 11 % foresee reductions, and 2 % remain unsure.
Despite the encouraging outlook over the past year, overall hiring volumes have cooled. In Q1 2026, the average firm is expected to add only 65 employees—a roughly 60 % drop from the 162 average recorded in Q2 2025 when the tracking began.
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