Expansions, layoffs, funding, leadership moves, and policy shifts — with our take on what it means for hiring in India, today and over the next five years.
Gracenote has positioned its India technology centre as the nerve centre for its worldwide AI development, including the rollout of a new Model Context Protocol Server designed to improve how entertainment content is discovered. The facility's teams are building AI-powered workflows that transform raw, unstructured data into clean, usable metadata at remarkable speed — cutting processing timelines from days to just minutes. This makes the India centre a strategic, not just a support, arm of Gracenote's global operations.
A new employer brand report ranks Google as the most desirable workplace in India for 2026, with Tata Group and Amazon rounding out the top three. The remaining top-ten spots go to a mix of global tech giants and homegrown conglomerates, including Infosys, Reliance, ITC, HUL, Mahindra, Samsung India, and Dell Technologies. The rankings reflect where Indian professionals most aspire to work, signalling strong demand signals across both tech and traditional sectors.
The Reserve Bank of India is preparing to publish its updated list of NBFCs classified under the 'upper layer' tier of its scale-based regulatory framework. Companies that land on this list will be obligated to list their shares on public markets, adding a new layer of governance and disclosure requirements. The list has not been updated since early 2025, and prominent conglomerates such as Tata Sons are being watched closely for potential inclusion.
The Reserve Bank of India has held its benchmark repo rate unchanged for the fourth consecutive policy meeting, keeping home loan interest rates stable. Industry bodies representing real estate developers have welcomed the move, saying it gives both builders and buyers greater confidence to proceed with projects and purchases. The central bank also nudged its GDP growth forecast slightly higher while trimming its inflation outlook.
Essar Energy Transition has secured $400 million in fresh financing from a consortium of European and UK banks, bolstering its financial position for long-term expansion. A key part of the deal involves a substantially enlarged Receivables Purchase Agreement worth $350 million, with existing banking partners ABN AMRO and Natixis increasing their exposure to the company. The capital infusion signals growing international confidence in Essar's energy transition strategy.
American shapewear and lifestyle brand SKIMS is entering the Indian market through a partnership with Reliance Brands, which will handle both physical retail and online operations. The brand's first Indian stores will open in Delhi and Mumbai, marking its entry into one of Asia's most competitive premium fashion markets. This move signals continued international brand confidence in India's growing appetite for global lifestyle labels.
Ola Electric has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Axis Energy to collaborate on Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), marking the company's move beyond two-wheelers into the broader energy storage space. The announcement was met with a sharp rally in Ola Electric's stock, reflecting investor enthusiasm for the strategic pivot. This signals the EV maker's intent to deepen its footprint across India's clean energy value chain.
B2B e-commerce unicorn OfBusiness is preparing to file its draft red herring prospectus for an IPO targeting approximately $800 million in fundraising, with the filing expected by mid-November. The move comes as Indian equity markets show signs of recovery, prompting the company to revive listing plans it had previously put on hold. A successful public offering would unlock significant capital that could fuel the company's next phase of growth.
EID Parry is establishing India's first large-scale automated jaggery manufacturing facility, pairing it with AI-driven farming techniques and water conservation measures. The move targets a global jaggery market valued at nearly $5.8 billion. The initiative signals a major push to industrialise a traditionally artisanal sector by combining heritage knowledge with modern technology.
Airtel is pulling back on Fixed Wireless Access expansion after finding the economics unfavourable — higher hardware costs and poor subscriber stickiness have made the technology a tough sell. Meanwhile, Reliance Jio is pushing ahead aggressively with its AirFiber product, sharpening the competitive divide between the two approaches. The divergence signals a broader strategic realignment within India's broadband infrastructure sector.
Visa has announced it will lay off approximately 2,600 employees worldwide, with a regulatory filing confirming 320 of those cuts will come from its Foster City headquarters alone. The reductions span several business functions rather than being concentrated in one area, suggesting a broad organisational restructuring. With Visa running significant technology and operations teams in India, the ripple effects on Indian employees and the wider fintech talent market are worth watching.
Bengaluru-based electric scooter startup River Mobility has secured $120 million in fresh funding to scale up its manufacturing operations and grow its retail network across India. The company, which entered the market with its Indie scooter in 2023, has now raised a cumulative $190 million and crossed 50,000 units sold. The capital infusion is expected to drive significant expansion in both production capacity and customer-facing infrastructure.