India tech hiring demand drops early 2026 as openings fall 24% year-on-year: Xpheno
India’s technology sector started 2026 on a weak hiring footing, with active job openings falling 24% year-on-year to about 103,000 roles, according to staffing firm Xpheno’s January outlook cited in an Economic Times report.
Hiring intentions soften as 2026 begins
India’s technology job market began 2026 with a notable slowdown in demand, as active tech job openings fell 24% from a year earlier to about 103,000 roles, according to staffing firm Xpheno’s “Active Tech Jobs Outlook – India” report for January 2026, as reported by The Economic Times.
The report said demand also slipped month-on-month, pointing to a subdued hiring environment that continued from late 2025. The level of active openings was described as among the lowest seen since early 2021, underscoring a prolonged cooling compared with the boom period in early 2022.
Where demand is falling—and where it is holding up
The Economic Times report noted that IT services firms—typically the largest consumers of tech talent—showed weaker demand amid global tech-spending uncertainty. At the same time, global capability centres were presented as a relative bright spot, with openings showing improvement versus the previous month and year.
By role type, core tech and engineering roles still made up a large share of openings, but they recorded sharp year-on-year declines, while some adjacent functions such as business development and marketing saw smaller changes depending on the cohort.
What this could mean for candidates
- Greater competition for mid-senior and senior roles if demand remains flat.
- More selective hiring cycles and higher emphasis on role-ready skills.
- Potential resilience in GCC hiring and specialised niches despite broad softness.
Recruiters expect candidates to face longer timelines for offers and more rounds of evaluation as companies prioritise cost control and productivity outcomes.