Tech Layoffs 2025: Global Wave Hits India as AI Restructures Industry
2025 continues to witness a major wave of tech layoffs worldwide, with more than 150,000 jobs cut. Automation and AI disruption are central drivers, as companies from Meta to TCS, GupShup to Cars24, restructure for a new digital era, deeply impacting innovation and the workforce—particularly in India.
2025 Tech Layoffs: A Global and Indian Reckoning
- Scope and scale: Over 150,000 tech jobs have been lost globally so far in 2025, according to TechCrunch and Layoffs.fyi trackers. AI automation and productivity pressure are driving cuts across giants (Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Salesforce, Google) as well as high-growth startups and unicorns.
- Key international trends: February and April saw peak layoffs (over 40,000 combined), with multiple large-scale cuts in cloud, enterprise SaaS, chip, and mobility sectors. Meta, Salesforce, Oracle, Intel, and Microsoft have each cut thousands in multiple rounds.
India: IT and Startups Hit By Layoff Wave
- TCS & Infosys: India’s largest IT service giants began cutting roles quietly amidst flat revenue, tight IT budgets in the West, and accelerated adoption of AI tools. TCS reportedly initiated ‘silent firings’, affecting up to 50,000 jobs in 2025—a trend mirrored by Infosys and Tech Mahindra (Economic Times, Times of India).
- Startups and product companies: Cars24 let go of 100-250 staff across units with non-core businesses affected (Business Standard, Entrepreneur India). GupShup, a conversational AI leader, laid off 300+ employees this year in two major rounds, citing restructuring and efficiency needs (Inc42, Times of India). Zopper, a fintech/insurtech unicorn, also made two rounds of 100+ employee cuts despite recent funding (Inc42).
- AI and SaaS-driven change: Layoffs have accelerated in product management, sales, and engineering as companies “go lean” to invest in AI and automation. Global trend: The work once managed by humans in back-office, data, and support is increasingly automated—but with a steep human cost.
- Indian context: Indian-origin startups have created opportunities for some laid off from global giants like Meta, but the job market remains tight, especially outside big metros. AI hiring is increasing, but overall tech hiring remains weak.
Numbers based on reported layoffs (rounded or estimated) from TechCrunch, India Today, Economic Times, Forbes India, Business Standard, Inc42, company press releases, and Layoffs.fyi.
| Company | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meta | 600 | 600 | ||||||||
| Microsoft | 2,403 | 16,234 | 8,834 | 24,500 | 10,397 | 1,606 | 16,142 | 6,002 | 2,205 | 9,000 |
| 101 | 100+ | |||||||||
| Salesforce | 262 | 1,000+ | ||||||||
| Cars24 (India) | 100-250 | |||||||||
| GupShup (India) | 300 | |||||||||
| Zopper (India) | 100 | 100 | ||||||||
| TCS (India) | ~50,000 (silent layoffs) | |||||||||
| Infosys (India) | Silent layoffs | |||||||||
| Oracle | 101 | 254 | ||||||||
| Intel | 21,000 |
“Silent layoffs” refers to off-cycle, unannounced or performance-related cuts (TCS, Infosys). Adjust and add companies/months as additional data is published.
Why Are Layoffs Accelerating?
- AI and automation: Companies are rapidly reducing manual or repetitive roles, especially in support, design, QA, and platform management; generative AI is making content, code, and data science jobs more competitive.
- Economic pressure: Slower global growth, higher cost of capital, and shrinking tech margins are prompting cuts and forcing new, leaner operating models for 2025 and beyond.
- Mergers/market exits: Multiple mergers, cost-driven pivots, and some high-profile shutdowns have forced blanket layoffs.
“The tech layoff wave in 2025 isn’t just about cost—it’s a structural reset for an industry hit by AI acceleration, global volatility, and saturation in key markets.” —Forbes India, Layoffs Tracker
FAQ – Tech Layoffs 2025 and India’s Work Future
FAQs – 2025 Tech Layoffs & India
Internal links: Layoff & Industry News, AI Jobs Reshuffle, India Tech Hiring Tracker
Sources & Further Reading
Sources: TechCrunch, India Today, Economic Times, Times of India, Business Standard, Inc42, Forbes India, Layoffs.fyi, company releases, expert commentary
Sneak peek: With 2025’s reset, the challenge for India’s tech ecosystem is clear: embrace innovation, AI upskilling, and workforce agility—or risk being left behind in the next phase of digital disruption.
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