Digitally-skilled workforce transforming India's technology landscape

India's technology landscape is undergoing a sweeping transformation and 26 promising cities have the potential to become the epicentre of innovation and growth, says a recent report.

This trend is fuelled by a highly proficient workforce in cutting-edge digital technologies, with about eight lakh individuals within these emerging hubs adept in the latest tech domains.

These emerging cities are witnessing a surge in digitally-skilled workforce, with over one lakh professionals contributing to their growth, according to the report from Deloitte India and Nasscom.

Focusing on 26 cities of high potential, the report examined five overarching pillars: talent, infrastructure, risk and regulatory environment, start-up ecosystem, and social and living environment, which are vital for establishing a flourishing technological landscape.

About 39 per cent of the country’s startups are based in emerging cities.

"While big cities were the focus in the past, the post-pandemic era witnessed a remarkable decentralisation of work across the nation. Today, about 60 per cent of overall graduates are from smaller towns and 30 per cent of total graduates relocate to tier-1 cities seeking employment," said Sumeet Salwan, Partner, Deloitte India.

With 60 per cent of graduates in engineering, arts, and science, smaller towns are emerging as a wellspring of potential. In emerging cities, businesses enjoy a 25-30 per cent cost advantage in talent pool costs and a striking 50 per cent lower real estate rental compared with mature hubs, the report found.