India emerges as global talent powerhouse with 56.35% employability: India Skills Report

The findings position India as a preferred global source of skilled professionals, reflecting both the scale of its workforce and its adaptability to new technologies.

Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka lead in employability for 2026 (representative image/ Canva)

India’s workforce is fast evolving into a global talent engine, blending scale with digital sophistication, according to the India Skills Report 2026. The latest edition of the annual study, released by ETS in collaboration with CII, AICTE, AIU, and Taggd, reveals that the country’s overall employability has risen to 56.35 per cent, up from 54.81 per cent last year. The growth underscores India’s accelerating shift toward a skill-first, AI-driven economy, powered by the rise of gig work, remote employment, and digital mobility.

The employability figure marks a significant jump from 54.81 per cent in 2025, underscoring the country’s steady progress toward a “skill-first economy.”

Between 2022 and 2026, India’s employability surged from 46.2 per cent to 56.3 per cent, a trend attributed to expanding access to modular training, digital tools, and AI-integrated learning models.

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“The burgeoning parallel workforce is shape-shifting the future of work — and it is starting right here in India,” said Nirmal Singh, CEO of Wheebox ETS and chief convenor of the report.

“The 2026 edition shows India standing at the intersection of scale, skill, and technology. The next decade will cement India’s leadership in global talent mobility through modular, AI-integrated skilling and internationally recognized certifications.”

The report, now in its 13th edition, surveyed over one lakh candidates through the Global Employability Test (GET) and collected inputs from seven key industries. Its central theme this year, “The Future of Work: Gig Workforce, Freelancing, AI-Supplemented Workforce, Remote Work and Entrepreneurship,” captures the transformation underway in how India’s youth engage with the global economy.

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Key Findings

– AI talent surge: India now commands 16% of the global AI talent pool, projected to reach 1.25 million professionals by 2027.
– Digital integration: Over 90% of Indian employees report using Generative AI tools in their work, highlighting the pace of tech adoption.
– Gig economy expansion: The gig and freelance workforce is expected to touch 23.5 million by 2030, with project-based hiring up 38% last year.
– Sectoral leaders: Technology, BFSI, Manufacturing, Renewable Energy, and Healthcare remain top hiring sectors.
– Top employable states: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka lead in employability for 2026.

The findings position India as a preferred global source of skilled professionals, reflecting both the scale of its workforce and its adaptability to new technologies.