India’s AI talent gap to widen 53% by 2026; Cloud computing faces up to 60% demand-supply mismatch
Within GCCs, new-age roles are redefining compensation. Generative AI Engineering and MLOps positions are setting new salary benchmarks, with senior professionals earning Rs 58–60 LPA
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India's digital economy is accelerating and is projected to contribute nearly one-fifth of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with AI now central to enterprise value creation. However, this growth will be accompanied by a severe skills gap.
According to TeamLease Digital's Digital Skills & Salary Primer Report for FY2025-26, for every 10 open GenAI roles, only one qualified engineer is currently available. By 2026, the AI talent gap is expected to widen to 53%, while cloud computing is projected to face a 55–60% demand-supply mismatch.
India's AI market is forecasted to reach $28.8 billion by 2025, growing at a 45% CAGR. The adoption of AI is also expected to boost employment, with Global Capability Centers (GCCs) projected to account for 22–25% of net new white-collar tech jobs in 2025. Of the 4.7 million new tech jobs projected by 2027, over 1.2 million are likely to come from GCCs, particularly in GenAI and engineering R&D, the report said.
AI, Cloud, and Cybersecurity reset salary benchmarks
Within GCCs, new-age roles are redefining compensation. Generative AI Engineering and MLOps positions are setting new salary benchmarks, with senior professionals earning Rs 58–60 LPA and annual growth rates exceeding 18%. Demand is especially strong for specialized AI skills such as Prompt Engineering, LLM Safety and Tuning, AI Orchestration, Agent Design, Simulation Governance, and AI Compliance & Risk Ops—particularly across BFSI, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Cybersecurity and Data Engineering remain foundational, with average salaries expected to rise from Rs 28 to Rs 33.5 LPA (20% growth) and Rs 23 to Rs 27 LPA (17% growth), respectively, by FY27, the report mentioned. Senior professionals can command up to Rs 55 LPA in Cybersecurity and Rs 42 LPA in Data Engineering, it added.
GCC momentum shifts: Bengaluru leads, Hyderabad rises, tier-2 cities surge 21% in hub-and-spoke boom
Cloud Computing roles are also advancing, with salaries projected to grow from Rs 24 to Rs 28 LPA (17% growth) by FY27 for GCC talent, and senior Cloud Architects expected to earn up to Rs 45 LPA.
In the IT Products & Services sector, product management is emerging as the fastest-growing skillset, with senior-level salaries projected to rise 29% to Rs 42 LPA by FY27. Cloud roles are in strong demand here too, with average salaries expected to grow from Rs 31.5 to Rs 37.5 LPA (19% growth) over the same period. Generative AI roles are gaining traction, with senior salaries increasing from Rs 28 LPA to Rs 33.5 LPA over FY2025–27, reflecting their rising strategic importance in R&D and product development.
Salary outlook in non-tech digital roles
With digital capabilities spreading into non-tech industries, salary structures are also shifting.
In non-tech enterprises, digital transformation roles are projected to grow from Rs 16 LPA to Rs 19.5 LPA by FY27, while Data Analytics salaries are expected to rise from Rs 11 LPA to Rs 13.5 LPA over the same period. Cloud Solutions and Cybersecurity remain the highest-paid non-tech functions at senior levels, with professionals (8+ years’ experience) earning up to Rs 30 LPA and Rs 28 LPA, respectively.
Conversely, Legacy Systems Maintenance shows complete stagnation at Rs 12 LPA through FY25–27, while IT Support is forecasted to grow only marginally, from Rs 10.5 LPA to Rs 11 LPA, highlighting the shift toward cloud-native and outsourced service models.
