HCLTech is set to establish India’s first AI-optimised data centre in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, with an investment of ₹14,257 crore. The project has received approval from the Odisha State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA) and is expected to create around 6,000 high-skilled employment opportunities, while positioning the state as a major hub for artificial intelligence and digital innovation.

The IT services company will collaborate with an Indian AI startup to develop the advanced data centre. In addition, HCLTech will set up a Global Delivery Centre (GDC) in Bhubaneswar, strengthening Odisha’s transformation into a technology-driven and AI-focused economy.

Beyond infrastructure development, HCLTech plans to invest heavily in talent development by launching large-scale upskilling programmes in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data engineering, and cybersecurity. These initiatives will equip local graduates and professionals with industry-ready skills to support sovereign AI solutions for government and enterprise customers.

According to HCLTech, the project will not only generate significant employment but also enhance the region’s digital capabilities. The AI data centre will combine HCLTech’s full-stack AI and cloud expertise with India-centric foundation models developed by its startup partner to deliver specialised, domain-specific AI solutions.

The Odisha government has identified the project as a key milestone in its digital transformation strategy. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and HCLTech Chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra are expected to attend the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony.

The announcement follows HCLTech’s recent decision to invest ₹3,500 crore in expanding its data centre business. During the same SLSWCA meeting, the Odisha government also approved 22 additional projects worth ₹4,573.87 crore, which are expected to generate another 22,873 jobs across multiple sectors.

Fulcrum Digital has announced plans to expand its global workforce by hiring approximately 800 technology professionals over the next nine months. The company said the recruitment drive follows the award of a major enterprise contract and growing demand for AI-driven digital transformation services.

The planned hiring will span India, the European Union and the United States. Open positions include Java developers with Spring Boot and microservices expertise, .NET Core engineers, SQL specialists, data engineers, DevOps professionals, test automation engineers and technical programme managers.

The company also plans to strengthen its artificial intelligence capabilities by recruiting professionals in AI solution architecture, MLOps, prompt engineering and “forward-deployed engineers”—roles focused on working directly with enterprise clients to deploy, optimise and scale AI solutions in operational environments.

According to Fulcrum Digital, demand for AI talent has evolved over the past 18 months, with organisations increasingly seeking professionals who can combine technical expertise with an understanding of business objectives and enterprise implementation.

The company said it is pursuing a dual talent strategy that combines external hiring with internal capability development. Alongside recruitment, Fulcrum Digital plans to invest in structured learning and upskilling programmes to help software engineers develop AI-related skills and support enterprise AI initiatives.

The hiring initiative reflects broader trends in enterprise technology, as organisations continue to integrate artificial intelligence into core business operations and customer-facing services. Companies are increasingly looking for professionals who can bridge software engineering, AI implementation and business transformation.

Fulcrum Digital is a global provider of enterprise AI and digital transformation services, supporting organisations in adopting AI technologies across business operations and customer experiences.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has announced plans to invest approximately ₹2,420 crore to expand its manufacturing capacity in India. The investment will fund new production lines at the company’s plants in Rajasthan and Gujarat and is expected to create around 3,800 new jobs by 2028.

The larger of the two expansion projects will be at the company’s Tapukara manufacturing facility in Rajasthan. HMSI will invest about ₹1,500 crore to establish a third production line and acquire an additional 73,700 square metres of land for the expansion. The new line will manufacture 125cc and 160cc scooters and light motorcycles, adding an annual production capacity of 670,000 units. Scheduled to begin operations in 2028, the expansion will increase the plant’s total capacity to 2.01 million units per year and is expected to generate more than 2,000 jobs.

The company will also invest ₹920 crore to add a fourth production line at its Vithalapur plant in Gujarat. Dedicated to manufacturing 125cc motorcycles, the new facility will add 650,000 units of annual production capacity. Expected to become operational in 2027, the expansion will raise the plant’s total capacity to 2.61 million units annually and create approximately 1,800 jobs.

Following the completion of both projects, HMSI’s total manufacturing capacity in India is expected to increase from 6.25 million units to approximately 8 million units per year by the end of FY2028.

According to Tsutsumu Otani, President and CEO of HMSI, the investment reflects Honda’s long-term commitment to India, one of the world’s largest two-wheeler markets. He said the expansion will strengthen the company’s manufacturing ecosystem and improve its ability to meet growing customer demand.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India began operations in the country in 2001 and has produced more than 70 million two-wheelers in India. The company currently operates manufacturing facilities in Manesar (Haryana), Tapukara (Rajasthan), Narsapura (Karnataka), and Vithalapur (Gujarat) as it continues to expand its production footprint in response to increasing market demand.

India witnessed nearly 3.5 lakh artificial intelligence (AI)-related job openings over the past 90 days, highlighting the rapid expansion of AI hiring across industries, according to a report released by Quess Corp.

The report estimates that India is home to approximately 9.2 lakh AI professionals, making it one of the world’s largest AI talent pools. Despite this, employers continue to face challenges in recruiting skilled professionals for specialised AI roles, as demand significantly exceeds the available talent.

According to the findings, only around 2.57 lakh professionals currently work in advanced AI disciplines, including large language models (LLMs), machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and agentic AI. These high-demand specialisations account for nearly 70% of current AI hiring requirements, creating a significant talent shortage.

The report identifies some of the largest hiring gaps in emerging AI domains such as generative AI, prompt engineering, AI deployment engineering, and AI governance. Organisations are increasingly seeking professionals who can successfully implement AI technologies in production environments rather than limiting projects to experimental stages.

Demand for agentic AI developers has grown rapidly during the past year, alongside increased recruitment for AI software engineers and professionals with expertise in Model Context Protocol (MCP) systems. These roles are becoming increasingly important as businesses accelerate AI adoption and develop more autonomous AI applications.

Hiring trends also indicate a growing preference for experienced candidates. Nearly half of all AI job openings are targeted at professionals with three to five years of experience, reflecting employers’ focus on candidates capable of delivering AI solutions with minimal onboarding. Meanwhile, recruitment of entry-level talent across the broader technology sector has declined compared with the previous year.

The report notes that AI hiring is expanding beyond traditional technology departments. Around 1.2 lakh openings were reported in business functions such as sales, marketing, finance, and operations, where organisations are looking for professionals who can integrate AI into business processes, improve productivity, and support digital transformation initiatives.

While automation continues to reshape workplace responsibilities, the report suggests that AI is creating new opportunities alongside changing existing roles. Businesses are increasingly investing in professionals who combine technical AI expertise with industry-specific knowledge to support long-term innovation and operational efficiency.

With AI adoption accelerating across sectors, the demand for specialised talent is expected to remain strong, making workforce development and upskilling critical priorities for employers in the coming years.

Indian fintech company Paytm is planning to expand its workforce by approximately 4,000 employees as it increases investments in artificial intelligence and strengthens its merchant-focused business operations, according to reports.

The recruitment initiative is expected to continue through March 2027 and will cover a range of functions, including product development, technology, artificial intelligence, and senior leadership positions. The planned hiring would represent an increase of nearly 10% over the company’s current workforce of around 40,000 employees.

Reports indicate that Paytm has added more than 800 employees in recent months and is continuing to recruit across multiple business areas. The hiring plans are aligned with the company’s focus on AI-driven product development and merchant services.

The expansion comes as Paytm’s parent company, One97 Communications, continues efforts to strengthen its business following regulatory actions involving Paytm Payments Bank. The company has reported profitability for four consecutive quarters, according to its recent financial disclosures.

In 2025, Paytm reduced its workforce by more than 4,500 positions as part of operational restructuring following restrictions imposed on its payments bank business. Reports suggest that a limited number of additional roles could be affected during the current performance review cycle, although any reductions are expected to be significantly smaller than previous workforce cuts.

The company is placing increased emphasis on artificial intelligence as it seeks to improve customer experiences, streamline operations, and develop new digital products. The planned hiring reflects broader industry trends, with technology and fintech companies investing in AI-related capabilities while expanding key business functions.

The recruitment drive is expected to create opportunities across technology, product management, artificial intelligence, and leadership roles over the coming months.

Healthcare-focused digital transformation and engineering company Emids plans to hire 1,000 Forward-Deployed Context Engineers (FDCEs) over the next year as part of its efforts to expand the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare operations.

According to the company, healthcare Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are increasingly seeking professionals with expertise in both healthcare processes and AI technologies to support operational transformation.

Abhishek Shankar, Chief Executive Officer of Emids, said healthcare organizations are looking to derive greater value from their GCCs as AI adoption accelerates. He said this requires professionals who understand healthcare workflows and can apply AI solutions to business challenges.

Emids defines FDCEs as AI-enabled specialists working within functions such as claims processing, prior authorization, care management, and member engagement. The company said these roles are intended to help organizations implement AI-driven solutions more quickly by leveraging existing workflows and data.

The company plans to build a team of at least 1,000 FDCEs across India and the Philippines by 2027. Emids said approximately half of the positions will be filled through new hiring, while the remainder will be created through reskilling existing employees. The company currently employs more than 1,500 people in India.

Industry participants have noted a growing demand for professionals who can combine knowledge of the U.S. healthcare sector with expertise in artificial intelligence. Companies such as Emids are investing in training and talent development to address this skills gap.