White-collar hiring in India sees robust 38 pc growth in March

The growth is being seen as a sign of the country's growing importance in global business, especially as international companies look to reduce their dependence on China due to fresh tariff uncertainties introduced by US President Donald Trump.

Sectors like information technology (IT), manufacturing, banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), and healthcare have led this hiring surge, according to a foundit (formerly Monster APAC & ME), report.

This could be due to companies shifting their supply chains to India and expanding their operations here.

V. Suresh, CEO of foundit, said that India is now not just a talent hub but also a critical growth engine for companies across the world.

"There is a visible shift in how global enterprises view India -- as a country ready to lead in a re-organised world economy," he mentioned.

Major cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and even Tier-2 cities like Vadodara and Kochi are witnessing hiring momentum as India positions itself as a preferred destination for global businesses.

The report suggests that the global push for 'China Plus One' strategies, where companies look for an alternative to China, is playing a major role in India's hiring boost.

This trend has particularly benefited manufacturing, which saw a 78 per cent YoY growth and a 12 per cent monthly rise in hiring in March.

Companies are increasing recruitment in areas such as production, quality control, and supply chain roles.

In the IT sector, Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are expanding in India to cut operational costs and tackle tariff-related pressures.

IT jobs saw a 43 per cent YoY and 8 per cent month-on-month growth. Roles such as full-stack developers, AI or ML engineers, and cloud architects are in high demand.

Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Pune are among the top cities for IT job creation, the report said.