Big Tech posts strongest headcount growth in India in three years despite US-India trade tensions
The previous peak was seen in 2022, when 37,000 new hires were made, corresponding to 35 per cent annual growth.
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US technology giants are expanding aggressively in India, posting their strongest headcount growth in three years despite escalating trade tensions between Washington and New Delhi.
Meta (formerly Facebook), Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix and Alphabet’s Google (FAAMNG) have collectively hired more than 30,000 new employees in India over the past 12 months. The surge highlights the country’s growing significance as a global hub for specialised skills in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies.
Data from specialist staffing firm Xpheno shows this is the highest net new hiring figure recorded by the FAAMNG cohort and their affiliates in the past three years, marking a year-on-year increase of more than 30 per cent between August 2024 and August 2025.
The previous peak was seen in 2022, when 37,000 new hires were made, corresponding to 35 per cent annual growth. However, that expansion was largely attributed to the post-pandemic recruitment surge. The latest figures underline how Indian tech talent continues to play a pivotal role for these companies, even in the face of geopolitical headwinds.
Attrition has also been a factor in the hiring dynamics. The FAAMNG companies reported an attrition rate of around 18–20 per cent over the last 12 months, taking the gross hiring tally to 75,000 during the period. This figure includes replacement hiring to account for attrition, as well as the net new additions.
The hiring momentum aligns with significant expansion plans announced by American tech majors in India for 2025. This comes against the backdrop of global macroeconomic uncertainty and policy challenges, including US President Donald Trump’s 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports.
Active job openings in India remain moderate. Over the past four weeks, there were 5,200 open roles advertised — less than half the peak volumes seen during 2021–2022, when job postings regularly ranged between 10,000 and 11,000 at any given time. Nonetheless, the Big Tech firms are clearly accelerating their expansion in the country, leveraging India’s talent pool while hedging their global positions.
Several high-profile real estate moves underscore this trend. In August, OpenAI announced plans to establish its first India office in New Delhi later this year. Microsoft leased 2.65 lakh square feet of premium office space in Hyderabad, with a monthly rent of approximately Rs 5.4 crore. In July, Apple finalised a 10-year lease for office floors in Bengaluru valued at over Rs 1,010 crore.
Earlier this year, Meta revealed plans to open a new office in Bengaluru, hiring for engineering and product roles in the tech capital. In April, Google inaugurated its new Bengaluru campus, Ananta, which ranks among its largest global facilities. These developments underscore the long-term bets Big Tech is placing on India’s talent and infrastructure.
