Deloitte to hire 50,000 more employees in India expansion

Deloitte South Asia CEO Romal Shetty announced a major expansion of the firm’s workforce in India. The professional services company plans to hire 50,000 additional employees. This move will significantly increase its current headcount of 140,000 people in the country. Shetty shared these details during the TiEcon Mangaluru 2026 event held on January 16.

India currently serves as a central hub for the firm. One in every four Deloitte employees globally is based in India. Shetty stated his goal is to increase this ratio. He expects one out of every three employees in the global network to be Indian within the next three years.

The hiring drive aligns with a shift toward smaller cities. While the firm maintains a presence in major metros, it is now targeting Tier II and Tier III locations. Deloitte is currently evaluating Mangaluru as a site for future operations. Shetty cited the region’s engineering and medical talent as primary reasons for this interest. The firm also has existing opportunities in cities like Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore, Lucknow, Indore, and Jaipur.

India has become a leader in the global capability center (GCC) sector. Approximately 50% of the world's GCCs operate in India. Shetty proposed the development of digital economic zones to support this growth. These zones would combine data centres, startups, and academic resources with ready-to-use infrastructure. Such a model aims to reduce the time required to set up new operations from months to weeks.

The firm is also looking at acquisitions and startups to fuel its growth. Shetty noted that the firm actively acquires startups that offer specialised expertise. This strategy supports its focus on high-tech sectors, including semiconductors, space, and artificial intelligence.