2 days Ago
Tech giant IBM is in the process of cutting around 9,000 jobs in the United States this year — a move that could result in a significant shift of roles to India, according to a report by The Register. The layoffs are affecting several divisions in the US, including IBM’s Cloud Classic unit, which was built on its SoftLayer infrastructure acquisition, sources said. Around a quarter of that team is believed to be impacted.
But while job losses are mounting in the West, there is growing evidence that India could benefit from this restructuring. Insiders said IBM has been steadily shifting roles to India over the past few years, and this round of downsizing is no different. “They’re trying to move as many roles to India as possible,” one source told The Register.
Another laid-off US employee also pointed out that IBM currently has far more job openings in India than in the US. Even CEO Arvind Krishna has publicly spoken in the past about IBM’s strategy to refocus its workforce towards India, where talent is abundant and operating costs are lower. “This is not even inside information anymore,” a source was quoted as saying.
If these transitions play out as expected, Indian tech workers — particularly those with cloud, infrastructure, sales, and consulting experience — may see more job opportunities open up. Roles that are being phased out in the West may be created or expanded in India, where IBM already has a large presence in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai. This comes at a time when global IT firms are increasingly adopting a "global delivery model," where teams in India handle core operations, development, support, and back-office functions.
Indian IT professionals with skills in AI, cloud infrastructure, hybrid cloud, cybersecurity, and internal enterprise systems may find themselves in greater demand as IBM reshuffles its workforce..
