India's Q3 Hiring Outlook Falls to 48% as Employers Turn More Selective
Updated
Updated · MENAFN.COM · Jun 9
India's Q3 Hiring Outlook Falls to 48% as Employers Turn More Selective
3 articles · Updated · MENAFN.COM · Jun 9
Summary
India's net employment outlook for Q3 2026 dropped to 48% from 68% in Q2, though it still ranked as the strongest globally in ManpowerGroup's survey.
59% of employers still plan to add staff, but hiring caution is rising as companies weigh AI-led workforce optimization, softer entry-level demand, trade uncertainty and geopolitical supply-chain pressures.
Eight of nine sectors weakened from the prior quarter; Trade & Logistics saw the sharpest drop, while Hospitality was the only sector to improve and Utilities & Natural Resources remained the strongest at 61%.
52% in the East made it India's most competitive region despite a 16-point quarterly decline, while large companies with 1,000-4,999 employees were the most optimistic at 56%.
75% of employers still value human resume review above AI tools, even as 87% pay premiums for communication skills and 84% for AI literacy and app-development capabilities.