India tech hiring cools further: active job openings fall 24% year-on-year, says Xpheno
India’s tech job market has started 2026 on a softer note, with active openings down 24% compared with a year ago, according to Xpheno. The report points to persistent caution in global IT spending and weaker demand for mid-to-senior roles.
Job openings slide, senior hiring stays muted
India’s technology sector has opened 2026 with a sharp slowdown in hiring demand, with active tech job openings falling 24% year-on-year to roughly 103,000 roles, according to specialist staffing firm Xpheno’s Active Tech Jobs Outlook – India report for January 2026. The report described this as the second-lowest demand level recorded since January 2021.
The survey noted that hiring remained sluggish through late 2025 and carried into the new year with little sign of a broad-based rebound, with openings also slipping month-on-month. While entry-level roles showed some resilience, the decline was steeper for mid-senior and senior positions, reflecting tighter budgets and slower decision cycles for experienced hiring.
Xpheno highlighted that IT services firms—typically among the largest recruiters—saw reduced demand compared with the previous year, amid uncertainty in key overseas markets and continued pressure from weak global technology spending. In contrast, global capability centres were described as a relative bright spot, with demand rising on a month-on-month basis.
The report also pointed out that core engineering roles continued to dominate the mix but registered a significant year-on-year decline. For India’s major tech hubs, the cooling hiring trend reinforces a broader pattern: companies are still investing, but with tighter controls on headcount and a preference for selective, skills-specific hiring rather than broad expansion.