Hiring momentum: India Inc steps up recruitment in 2025; big firms drive gains as demand picks up – The Times of India
Hiring activity across India’s private sector improved marginally in the first 10 months of 2025, supported by stronger demand, healthier order books and a steady revival in business sentiment. An ET analysis of HSBC and S&P Global Market Intelligence data shows that the jobs component of the seasonally adjusted HSBC India PMI rose to 53.8 during January–October 2025, up from 52.5 in the same period last year.Executives at large conglomerates including Vedanta Group and RPG, along with senior economists, affirmed that the hiring environment has strengthened. Lower GST rates, easing inflation and softer interest rates have lifted consumer activity across sectors, prompting companies to expand their workforce.KEC International, part of RPG, said its hiring has been closely aligned with its growth trajectory. “We have seen stronger hiring momentum through 2025. Between January and September, our recruitment has remained robust,” said Vimal Kejriwal, MD & CEO, KEC International. “Our overall workforce has grown by around 13% compared to last year’s H1.” The company added more than 1,500 professionals in the first half of FY26.Economists said the improvement is driven largely by larger enterprises. “Hiring is taking place at larger companies, which is a positive sign and hopefully this can be retained,” said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist, Bank of Baroda.Vedanta said its own recruitment has risen 15–18% from last year. “Vedanta’s hiring momentum continues to rise in tandem with our business growth, driven by large-scale project execution and new investments across our aluminium, zinc, silver, and copper verticals,” a spokesperson said, adding that the company is strengthening talent pipelines as it expands across new sectors.Sector-wise PMI data shows a similar trend. Within manufacturing, the employment index reached 53.8 this year compared with 52.4 in 2024, while services rose to 53.8 from 52.5. “The strength of job creation…reflects robust sales performances, planning ahead of anticipated demand growth and efforts to ensure sufficient capacity,” said Pollyanna De Lima, economics associate director, S&P Global Market Intelligence.Official indicators also reflect the pick-up. The labour force participation rate (LFPR) rose to a five-month high of 55.3% in September from 55% in August.Economists expect momentum to continue as tax cuts and healthy consumption trends filter through. “With GST and income tax cuts, urban demand will pick up, leading to positive improvement in employment,” said Gaura Sengupta, chief economist, IDFC First Bank.KEC said the outlook remains strong, supported by a healthy order book, infrastructure spending and traction in the Middle East. Vedanta attributed its hiring gains to diversification into green energy and digital technology, greater local sourcing that drives indirect jobs, AI-led recruitment efficiencies and an expanded talent pool including global experts and advanced manufacturing specialists.
