India’s AI industry is booming but talent is scarce. The TeamLease Digital’s “Digital Skills and Salary Primer Report for FY2025–26” reveals a shocking mismatch: for every ten Generative AI roles available, only one engineer is qualified to fill them. 

The shortfall isn’t limited to AI. The nation faces a projected 53% gap by 2026 in AI talent alone, with cloud computing and cybersecurity also under threat cloud lagging by 55–60%, and cybersecurity by 25–30%.

This imbalance has broadly impacted compensation. Senior roles in GenAI engineering and MLOps now command staggering ₹58–60 LPA, while emerging fields like data engineering and cybersecurity see double-digit salary hikes, even for mid-level positions.

Fortunately, the burden is shifting geographically. India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are fueling job growth outside traditional metro hubs, with Tier-2 cities emerging as new talent hotspots. The top 20 GCCs report 40% female participation, outperforming industry norms.