India's Hiring Trends Show Sectoral Shifts with AI Roles Rising Amid Recruitment Slowdown

India's hiring landscape shows mixed trends in early 2026. While overall recruitment sector hiring declined by 6.6%, driven by automation and cost optimization, white-collar hiring rose 3%, led by non-IT sectors and fresher roles. IT hiring remains flat except for a 34% increase in AI and machine learning positions. Demand for recruiters varies across industries, with manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and BFSI maintaining stable needs amid broader sectoral shifts.