India's IT Giants Hired 13,500—Guess Who’s Paying the Most?

18 April, 2025
9 mins read
India's IT Giants Hired 13,500—Guess Who’s Paying the Most?

India's leading IT services giants—Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, and Wipro—made a decisive comeback in FY25, collectively adding 13,553 employees, reversing the previous year's massive headcount decline.

 After a turbulent FY24 that saw a net reduction of 63,759 employees across the top IT players due to a global slowdown and sluggish deal flow, hiring momentum in FY25 indicates a cautious revival, particularly in fresher onboarding and strategic resourcing.

Headcount Growth Snapshot: TCS, Infosys Lead the Pack

  • TCS emerged as the top recruiter, hiring 6,433 people in FY25.

  •  Infosys followed closely behind with 6,388 hires.

  •  Wipro reported a modest increase, adding 732 new employees.

TCS added 625 employees, Infosys 199, and Wipro 614 in the March 2025 quarter alone, indicating a consistent but restrained hiring pace.

Fresher Hiring Momentum Returns

Despite macroeconomic uncertainties, including tariff tensions linked to renewed US trade policies, Indian IT companies are optimistic about developing new talent pipelines:

  • TCS confirmed onboarding 42,000 new employees in FY25, with plans to match or slightly exceed that figure in FY26.

     “We have onboarded 42,000 trainees in FY25, and FY26 numbers will be similar or a little higher,” said Milind Lakkad, CHRO at TCS.


  • Infosys met its FY25 target of 15,000-20,000 fresher hires and plans to hire more than 20,000 freshers in FY26.

     “We plan to hire 20,000+ freshers in FY26,” noted CFO Jayesh Sanghrajka.


  • Wipro is expected to continue hiring freshers at the same rate in FY26, though specific figures have yet to be disclosed.

Wage Hikes: Infosys Takes the Lead

With fiscal year 26 underway, Infosys has taken a decisive step toward boosting employee morale through timely wage increases:

  • Starting in January 2025, Infosys implemented salary increases, with the remainder of the adjustments taking effect on April 1.

  • TCS is deferring salary increases until the company's financial situation improves.

  • Wipro has yet to announce its hike timeline.  However, the company had already announced advanced raises in September 2024, just nine months after hikes in December 2023.

Strategic Outlook

This hiring rebound, particularly in fresher recruitment, reflects cautious optimism in India's IT sector, which continues to serve as the foundation for global digital transformation initiatives.  The emphasis is shifting toward skills-based hiring, cost optimization, and reskilling for future tech demand, even as companies navigate volatile geopolitical and economic headwinds.

Key Takeaways:

  • In FY25, the top three Indian IT firms will add 13,553 employees.

  •  TCS leads hiring, closely followed by Infosys, while Wipro lags.

  •  So far, Infosys is the only company to announce salary increases for the fiscal year 26.

  •  Fresher hiring has regained momentum, indicating long-term confidence in talent investment.

So, who is paying the most?

Infosys is currently the highest-paying IT company in India.  The company began rolling out wage increases in January 2025, with additional increases implemented on April 1, making it the only one of the Big Three to proceed with raises as FY26 began.  TCS has postponed salary increases, citing uncertainty and the need for greater business visibility, while Wipro remains undecided, having already given raises in September 2024.  As inflationary pressures and geopolitical challenges persist, Infosys' proactive approach positions the company as the most employee-friendly in terms of compensation strategy this fiscal year.

Stay tuned to Business Today for more insights on India’s evolving IT and hiring landscape.

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FAQs

1. Which IT company is currently offering the highest salary hikes?
Infosys is currently leading with salary increases announced in January and again in April 2025.

2. Have TCS employees received a salary hike this year?
No, TCS has deferred salary increases due to business uncertainty and macroeconomic pressures.

3. Did Wipro give a hike in 2025?
No, but Wipro employees received raises in September 2024, and the company has yet to announce any new ones.

4. Why are some IT firms delaying hikes?
Due to global headwinds, margin pressures, and demand volatility.

5. Will more companies announce hikes soon?
Possibly.  Companies are monitoring the situation before committing to raises.