Average Salary Hike in India 2026: What Surveys Show

Last updated: 8 October 2026 · By the Asuraa Team

Quick answer: The average salary hike in India for 2026 is about 9 to 9.1%, according to the major surveys: Aon projected 9% (October 2025), and EY and Deloitte both projected 9.1% (February and April 2026), as reported by Business Standard. IT services is lower, with Deloitte projecting 6.9% for 2026, while sectors such as GCCs, pharma and NBFCs sit near or above 10% in some surveys.

Key takeaways

• Aon projected a 9% average salary increase in India for 2026, up from 8.9% in 2025, in a study of over 1,060 companies reported in October 2025.
• EY's Future of Pay report (February 2026) and Deloitte's India Talent Outlook 2026 (April 2026) both projected 9.1% increments for 2026.
• Deloitte projected IT services hikes of 6.9% for 2026, down from 7.6% in 2025, well below the national average.
• EY found emerging tech roles in AI, GenAI and machine learning command up to a 40% pay premium.
• Aon estimated real wage growth for 2026 at 4.9%, about half the nominal 9% increase.

Every year, consulting firms survey hundreds of Indian employers and publish an "average salary hike" figure. For 2026, the major surveys landed close together, at about 9% overall. But that headline hides big differences by sector, and IT services in particular has been running well below the national average. This guide lays out what each named survey reported, when, and what it means for your own appraisal or job switch.

What is the average salary hike in India for 2026?

The major 2026 salary surveys put the average increment in India at about 9 to 9.1%. Aon projected 9% for 2026 in October 2025, EY projected 9.1% in February 2026, and Deloitte projected 9.1% in April 2026, according to reports in Business Standard.

These are projections of average budgets across participating companies, not guarantees for any individual. Aon's study covered over 1,060 companies across 45 industries, per Business Standard. Deloitte's survey was conducted in January and February 2026 across seven sectors and 27 sub-sectors, mainly with senior HR leaders, per Business Standard.

Which sectors are expected to give the highest hikes in 2026?

Real estate and infrastructure, non-banking finance, pharma, GCCs and parts of manufacturing sit at the top of the 2026 surveys, while IT services sits near the bottom. The exact ranking depends on the survey.

• Aon: real estate and infrastructure at 10.9% and NBFCs at 10% for 2026, while technology consulting and services was projected to slip from 7% to 6.8% (Business Standard).
• EY: global capability centres at 10.4%, the highest, followed by financial services at about 10%, e-commerce at 9.9% and life sciences and pharma at 9.7% (Business Standard).
• Deloitte: pharma at 10.1%, power and renewables at 10.4%, automotive OEMs at 10.3% and semiconductors at 10.1% (Business Standard).

Notice that the surveys do not agree on GCCs. EY put GCCs at the top with 10.4%, while Deloitte projected GCCs at 8.8% for 2026, down from 9% in 2025. Different samples and definitions produce different answers, which is why you should compare several surveys before drawing conclusions. If you are weighing a GCC role, our guide to GCC jobs in India covers the wider picture.

How much salary hike are IT companies giving in 2026?

IT services companies are giving noticeably smaller hikes than the national average. Deloitte's survey projected IT services increments of 6.9% for 2026, down from 7.6% in 2025, while IT product companies were projected at 9.2% (Business Standard).

Company announcements reflect the same trend:

• TCS rolled out average hikes of 6 to 8% for India employees in 2026, with more than 10% for top performers, as Business Standard reported in May 2026. Its FY26 annual report showed average increases of 4.5 to 7% for junior and mid-level staff in India.
• HCLTech continues to give hikes in October; its chief people officer said hikes of about 4 to 6% do not compare with the roughly 9 to 10% the industry gave in the past, according to Business Standard.
• Wipro delivered FY25 hikes in March 2026, and Infosys had not announced a timeline for FY26 hikes as of May 2026, per the same report.

Timing has become as important as size. Several large IT firms have delayed or split their cycles since the pandemic, so "when" can matter as much as "how much". For a fresher deciding between employers, our comparison of TCS vs Infosys vs Wipro for freshers and product vs service companies help put these numbers in context.

Do skills like AI get a higher salary hike?

Yes, the 2026 surveys report a clear premium for emerging tech skills. EY's Future of Pay report found that emerging tech roles in AI, generative AI, machine learning and engineering command up to a 40% premium, and that about 45 to 50% of organisations are moving towards skill-based pay, per Business Standard.

Earlier GCC-specific data pointed the same way. Zinnov projected a 9.8% salary increase for India's GCCs in 2025, with AI-related roles driving premium hikes, according to Zinnov. If you want to build skills that attract that premium, see our guides on in-demand skills for 2026 and the AI engineer salary in India.

What do the 2027 projections say so far?

Early FY27 projections suggest hikes will stay in a similar band. TeamLease Services' Jobs and Salaries Primer 2026-27, based on inputs from 1,268 businesses across 23 industries and 20 cities, projected FY27 increments of 8.6% to 10.2% across industries, as reported in June 2026. High-growth sectors such as EV, fintech, healthcare and pharma were placed at 9.6% to 10.2%, and associate software engineers at 9.7%.

Note that TeamLease covers a broader mix of roles, including many non-IT and entry-level jobs, so its numbers are not directly comparable to the Aon, EY and Deloitte surveys.

What do most guides on salary hikes in India get wrong?

Most guides present one number as "the" average hike and imply it applies to everyone. In reality, it is an average of company budgets, and your own increment depends on your sector, level, performance rating and employer's timing.

Three nuances matter:

1. Averages hide wide gaps. The national figure of about 9% sat alongside IT services projections of under 7% in Deloitte's survey.
2. Real wage growth is much smaller. Aon estimated real wage growth (after inflation) at 4.9% for 2026, versus a 9% nominal increase, per Business Standard.
3. Ratings decide distribution. TCS's 2026 cycle ranged from about 2 to 3% for the lowest-rated employees to more than 10% for top performers, according to Business Standard.

A further mistake is assuming hikes arrive in April. Several IT companies now pay increments months later, or in split cycles.

How should you use these numbers in your appraisal discussion?

Use the surveys as context, not as a demand. A manager will take you more seriously if you anchor your request to your own results and to market data for your specific role, rather than quoting a national average.

A practical approach:

1. List your measurable contributions from the past year: projects shipped, incidents resolved, revenue or time saved, new skills applied at work.
2. Pick the most relevant benchmark. If you work in IT services, the IT services figure is a fairer comparison than the national average; if you work at a GCC, look at GCC-specific data.
3. Ask about the structure of the increase, including fixed versus variable components and any skill-based component.
4. Discuss the next cycle, not only this one. A promotion or role change often moves pay more than an annual percentage.

Freshers rarely negotiate appraisal hikes in their first year, but the same logic applies at the offer stage. Our guide on how to negotiate salary as a fresher covers that conversation.

Is it better to switch jobs than wait for an appraisal hike?

Often, yes, if you have in-demand skills, because a switch can reset your pay band rather than adding a percentage to it. But the surveys also show churn is slowing, which means fewer openings and more competition. Aon reported attrition of 17.1% in 2025, the lowest in five years (Business Standard), and EY reported overall attrition of 16.4% in 2025, down from 17.5% (Business Standard).

Before you decide:

1. Compare your current CTC against market ranges using our guide on how to research salary in India.
2. Separate fixed pay from variable pay; EY found variable pay averaged 16.1% of fixed pay in 2025.
3. Factor in the timing of your current employer's appraisal cycle.
4. Calculate the in-hand difference, not just CTC. Our explainer on CTC vs in-hand salary shows how.

FAQ

What is the average salary hike in India in 2026?

The major surveys put it at about 9 to 9.1%. Aon projected 9% in October 2025, EY projected 9.1% in its Future of Pay report in February 2026, and Deloitte projected 9.1% in its India Talent Outlook 2026 in April 2026, as reported by Business Standard. These are averages of company budgets, so individual increments vary widely.

What is the average salary hike in IT companies in 2026?

Lower than the national average. Deloitte projected IT services increments of 6.9% for 2026, down from 7.6% in 2025, and IT product companies at 9.2%. TCS gave average hikes of 6 to 8% for India employees in 2026, according to Business Standard, while HCLTech's chief people officer said hikes of about 4 to 6% did not compare with the industry's past norm of 9 to 10%.

Which sector gives the highest salary hike in India in 2026?

It depends on the survey. Aon placed real estate and infrastructure highest at 10.9%, followed by NBFCs at 10%. EY ranked global capability centres highest at 10.4%. Deloitte placed power and renewables at 10.4%, automotive OEMs at 10.3%, and pharma and semiconductors at 10.1%. Compare several surveys rather than relying on one.

Is a 10% salary hike good in India in 2026?

A 10% hike is above the 2026 survey averages of about 9 to 9.1%, and well above typical IT services increments, which Deloitte projected at 6.9%. Whether it is good for you depends on your current pay versus market rates, your skills and your sector. Compare it with salary data for your role before deciding whether to negotiate or switch.

Do AI skills get a higher salary hike in India?

Yes. EY's Future of Pay report, published in February 2026, found that emerging technology roles in AI, generative AI, machine learning and engineering command up to a 40% premium. It also found that about 45 to 50% of organisations are moving towards skill-based pay, which rewards specific in-demand capabilities rather than tenure alone.

What salary hike is expected in India in 2027?

Early projections suggest a similar range. TeamLease Services' Jobs and Salaries Primer 2026-27, reported in June 2026, projected FY27 increments of 8.6% to 10.2% across industries, based on inputs from 1,268 businesses. TeamLease covers many non-IT and entry-level roles, so its figures are not directly comparable with Aon, EY or Deloitte.

Final thoughts

The 2026 surveys agree on a national average of about 9%, but your sector, skills and rating matter more than the headline. If you are considering a switch to move into a better-paying band, plan your next step with the Asuraa career path planner.