Deloitte plans major workforce expansion in India, targets 50,000 new hires
Hiring

Deloitte is planning a significant expansion of its workforce in India, with the professional services firm aiming to add approximately 50,000 employees over the next few years, according to a senior company executive.

The expansion would take Deloitte’s headcount in India beyond its current strength of around 1,40,000 employees, further strengthening the country’s role in the firm’s global operations.

The plan was outlined by Romal Shetty, CEO, Deloitte South Asia, during his address at TiEcon Mangaluru 2026, held on 16 January.

India already accounts for a substantial share of Deloitte’s global workforce. At present, about one in four Deloitte professionals worldwide is based in the country. The firm has set an internal goal of increasing this proportion to one-third of its global workforce within the next three years, reflecting both the scale of available talent and the expanding scope of work being delivered from India.

As part of this growth strategy, Deloitte is also reviewing its geographic footprint. While major metropolitan centres remain important, the firm is increasingly focusing on Tier-II and Tier-III cities to support future hiring and operations.

Cities including Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore, Lucknow, Indore and Jaipur are already part of Deloitte’s expansion plans. Mangaluru is also under evaluation as a potential location, driven by the availability of engineering and medical talent in the region.

Shetty noted that India hosts nearly half of the world’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs), creating opportunities for faster and more integrated growth. To support this ecosystem, Deloitte is exploring concepts such as digital economic zones, which would bring together infrastructure, academic institutions, startups and data capabilities to reduce setup timelines.

In parallel, Deloitte continues to pursue acquisitions and partnerships with startups to strengthen its presence in areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and space technologies, with India expected to play a central role in the firm’s next phase of growth.