India's workforce to increase to 457.62 million by 2028 with AI help: Report

India is on track to increase its workforce from 423.73 million in 2023 to 457.62 million by 2028, reflecting a net gain of 33.89 million workers, a report said on Wednesday.

According to a report by American software company ServiceNow, emerging technology will transform talent across India's key growth sectors, generating 2.73 million new tech jobs by 2028. According to the report this surge in demand presents retail professionals with a valuable opportunity to upskill in areas like Software Application Development and Data Engineering, equipping them for a tech-driven landscape.

This is followed by manufacturing (1.50 million jobs), education (0.84 million jobs), and healthcare (0.80 million jobs), propelled by expected economic growth and tech transformation, it stated.

"AI will be a key catalyst for job creation across India's growth engines, particularly in roles requiring advanced technical skills. This strategic emphasis will not only create more high-value opportunities for professionals but will also empower them to build enduring digital careers," ServiceNow India Technology and Business Center Senior Vice President and Managing Director Sumeet Mathur said.

By equipping the country's talent with these essential skills, it can be ensured that India remains a leader in the global tech economy, he added.

The report is based on an analysis of the baseline of the country's labour market sourced from census and labour force survey data and the economic growth projections are derived from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

It further revealed AI Systems Engineers will also benefit significantly from Gen AI, with half of the total tech impact on this role coming directly from AI technologies.

Similarly, implementation consultants are poised to benefit significantly from the integration of Generative AI, saving 1.9 hours per week as AI takes over repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic projects, it said.

Even the least-impacted role, Platform Owners, could save nearly half an hour each week. Emerging technologies will revolutionize roles across the tech ecosystem, enabling professionals to work smarter and faster, ther report added.