India's formal job market rises 8.9% in May, now 80% above pre-Covid levels: Report
Indian job postings increased 8.9% in May, ending an eight-month losing streak. That is more significant that recent posting levels are nearly 80% higher than they were before the pandemic indicates steady but continued growth in employment in the country. The report has been released by Indeed, a globally recognised platform for job seekers.Interestingly, roles mentioning generative AI have more than doubled year-on-year, with Karnataka and Telangana emerging as leading hubs for such opportunities.advertisementHowever, they are 1.8% lower than a year ago and around 16% below their peak. Despite trending downwards recently, Indian job postings are almost 80% above pre-pandemic levels. That ranks highly compared to other major Indeed markets, although it isn't a like-for-like comparison.
Several countries, led by the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Switzerland, have posting volumes that are currently below pre-pandemic levels. By comparison, India's posting volumes are very healthy.2wSECTORS WITH JOB POSTING INCREASES (LAST THREE MONTHS)Childcare: +27%Personal Care & Home Health: +25%Education: +24%Production & Manufacturing: +22%While software development opportunities have declined recently, the sector continues to have the largest volume of job opportunities on Indeed, accounting for around one-in-five Indian job postings.It highlights how prominent the tech sector has been to India's emerging formal sector, with multi-nationals trying to tap into India's large talent pool.GENERATIVE AI JOBS CONTINUE TO SURGEadvertisementIndeed's data shows that, as of May 2025, 1.5% of Indian job postings explicitly mentioned generative AI in their job descriptions, more than doubling over the past year.Generative AI opportunities are concentrated in the tech sector, but are increasingly widespread.Around 12.5% of data analytics roles mention generative AI, ahead of software development (3.6%) and scientific research (3.1%).It's also commonly mentioned across a range of office roles, including marketing (1.1% of job postings) and management (0.9%).Regional hubs have emerged for jobs that either use or help develop generative AI.STATE WISE GENERATIVE AI MENTIONS IN JOB POSTINGKarnataka:2.4% of job postings mention generative AIHighest percentage share among Indian statesTelangana:2.3% of job postings mention generative AIClose second in terms of AI-focused rolesMaharashtra:1% of job postings mention generative AIHas the largest total job volume overallHolds the second-largest number of AI-specific roles (by absolute count)Job creation across India's formal sector remains strong and rose sharply during May.This continues to facilitate a shift from lower-productivity to higher-productivity work as workers transition into the sector.While there is no shortage of workers in India, finding the right set of skills continues to be challenging in some cases.Must Watch
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Hindustan Times
33 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
FATF flags Pak case to sound global weapons funding alarm
A new report by the global financial crimes watchdog has cited India's seizure of equipment with military use bound for Pakistan in 2020 as evidence of widespread failures in preventing weapons proliferation financing, a problem that poses significant threats to world security and the integrity of the international financial system. FATF flags Pak case to sound global weapons funding alarm The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) report, published late on Friday, found that 84% of assessed countries demonstrated inadequate controls despite what FATF described as the 'grave threat' posed by such activities. The report featured a case study detailing how Indian customs authorities in 2020 intercepted dual-use items that were mis-declared as medical equipment but were actually destined for Pakistan's ballistic missile programme. 'Indian custom authorities seized an Asian-flagged ship bound for Pakistan. During an investigation, Indian authorities confirmed that documents mis-declared the shipment's dual-use items,' the FATF report titled Complex Proliferation Financing and Sanctions Evasion Schemes stated. The items were listed as autoclaves, which are 'used for sensitive high energy materials and for insulation and chemical coating of missile motors.' A senior Indian government official described the study as 'the most comprehensive and updated survey of risks related to proliferation financing,' noting that it identifies Pakistan alongside North Korea and Iran as countries where proliferation financing risks 'are inherent.' The FATF categorised the incident as 'non-declaration of dual use goods under the prescribed export laws of the exporting country.' Though the report did not name the exporting country, the ship was intercepted in Indian waters while travelling from China's Jiangyin port to Pakistan's Karachi port, as reported by Indian media, including HT, at the time. What was not reported till now, and referenced in the FATF report, is the link of the shipment to Pakistan's National Development Complex, a defence and aerospace agency under the Pakistan government. 'The Bill of Lading of the seized cargo provided evidence of the link between the importer and the National Development Complex, which is involved in the development of long-range ballistic missiles,' the report stated. Officials said the timing strengthens India's position as it prepares to oppose the World Bank's $20 billion lending commitment to Pakistan over 10 years. India will oppose development funding to Pakistan at the World Bank's upcoming meetings, one of these people said, asking not to be named. 'India is not against multilateral agencies such as the IMF and World Bank extending financial support for the development of the people of Pakistan. However, there is ample evidence that these development funds are diverted by Islamabad from development projects to arm purchase and terror funding,' said one of these officials, asking not to be named. In May, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman contacted IMF leadership directly, presenting evidence of Pakistan's alleged misuse of development funds for military purchases. Despite India's intervention, the IMF executive board approved a $1.4 billion loan for Pakistan under climate resilience funding, though it later imposed 11 strict conditions following New Delhi's objections. 'Pakistan is unlikely to meet those conditions and thus it would not be able to avail the IMF funding,' the official added. Citing data available with multilateral agencies, this official explained: 'Pakistan spends on average around 18% of its general budget on 'defence affairs and services', while even the conflict-affected countries spend on average far less (10-14% of their general budget expenditure). Further, Pakistan's arms imports increased dramatically from 1980 to 2023 by over 20% on average in the years when it received IMF disbursements in comparison to years when it did not receive the same'. A second official said the latest report very nearly 'clubs Pakistan with rogue countries like North Korea.' 'This report will help India in pushing it for placing Pakistan in the grey list again.' The report also comes days after FATF condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, saying it could not have occurred without means to move funds between terrorist supporters, which Indian officials described as a positive step in New Delhi's renewed attempts to put Pakistan back on the grey list. The FATF report highlighted significant vulnerabilities across the global financial system in countering the financing of weapons of mass destruction. It revealed that only 16% of countries worldwide have demonstrated effective implementation of UN sanctions designed to prevent weapons of mass destruction financing. The report cited North Korea as 'the most significant actor' in proliferation financing — having 'generated billions of dollars through cyberattacks targeting virtual asset-related companies, such as the theft of USD 1.5 billion from ByBit in February 2025,' according to the FBI. The report identified four primary methods used to evade sanctions: employing intermediaries, concealing beneficial ownership, exploiting virtual assets and manipulating shipping sectors. In the 2020 incident, the merchant vessel Da Cui Yun, sailing under Hong Kong flag, was stopped by India's customs department at Kandla port in Gujarat on February 3 for wrongly declaring an autoclave as an 'industrial dryer.' An autoclave -- a device that uses high-pressure steam and heat to sterilise materials -- is used in hospitals for sterilising medical equipment, but also helps in the manufacture of specialised materials for missile components under controlled high-pressure and temperature conditions. The interception was following an intelligence tip-off, and experts from the Defence Research and Development Organisation, including nuclear scientists, examined the 18x4-metre autoclave and determined it was dual-use equipment that could serve civilian or military purposes. The vessel was allowed to leave after the autoclave was seized. Reports suggested the Da Cui Yun had made multiple voyages from China to Karachi via Indian ports carrying machinery. The report underscores that 'unless both the public and private sectors urgently bolster technical compliance and effectiveness, those seeking to finance WMD proliferation will continue to exploit weaknesses in existing controls.'
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Star Power! Safety Scores Now Steer Car Sales Growth
In a car market long dominated by affordability, safety is emerging as the best performing driver. Five-star Bharat NCAP-rated vehicles made up 15% of all passenger vehicle sales in the country in the first four months of 2025 — up from 10% during January-April 2024—as Indian car buyers increasingly prioritise protection over mileage and upfront cost. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads In a car market long dominated by affordability, safety is emerging as the best performing Bharat NCAP-rated vehicles made up 15% of all passenger vehicle sales in the country in the first four months of 2025 — up from 10% during January-April 2024—as Indian car buyers increasingly prioritise protection over mileage and upfront of models with top-tier safety ratings rose 12% year-on-year in 2024, when overall car sales increased 4.3%, according to data from automotive research firm Jato Dynamics. 'Safety is now a top purchase driver,' said Ravi Bhatia, president of Jato are racing to respond to this behaviour change. Safety features like six airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock braking systems (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), and ISOFIX child seat mounts—all considered luxuries till recently—are rapidly becoming stricter norms in recent years—the latest government mandate requires six airbags in passenger vehicles by October 2025—is accelerating the trend. But the main driver is demand. 'Buyers place a high value on safety, often gauging it by the number of airbags offered,' said R Velusamy, president, automotive technology and product development, Mahindra & are looking for two key safety components: advanced features to prevent accidents, and strong crash-test ratings to ensure protection in case of an accident. 'This growing emphasis on safety is reflected in our sales performance too,' Velusamy of Mahindra's latest models — the XEV 9e, BE.6, Thar ROXX, XUV 3XO, and XUV 400 — secured five-star ratings under Bharat NCAP (new car assessment programme) in NCAP, the indigenous vehicle crash testing and safety rating system launched in 2023, has helped increase safety awareness among car buyers.'We are communicating to our customers that a few thousand rupees is a very small price to pay for safety of themselves and their loved ones,' said Rahul Bharti, senior executive officer, corporate affairs, Maruti latest model of the Maruti Dzire recently became the first sedan to earn a five-star Bharat NCAP models of the country's largest carmaker are already equipped with electronic stability program (ESP) and other features like ABS with EBD and hill-hold assist in many of its models ahead of the regulatory requirement. It will also offer six airbags as standard across all variants of models within this year, Bharti perception of automotive safety has started evolving beyond airbags and crash scores. Features such as 360-degree cameras, remote surveillance via connected car apps such as Waylens Secure360, and remote driving alerts are increasingly seen as necessities. Parents especially appreciate speed-limiting drive modes when handing over keys to their teenage, or new-to-driving children, carmakers expanding view of safety is helping reshape India's $137-billion automotive industry, which is projected to reach $203 billion by 2030, according to Jato Dynamics. Carmakers like Maruti, Tata Motors, Hyundai, Kia, and Mahindra are investing aggressively in R&D, particularly on safety features and structural the progress, India's road safety records remain among the deadliest in the country saw 53 accidents per hour in 2023, with nearly 80% of road fatalities attributed to speeding or substandard vehicle safety, according to government data. With the government tightening regulations and customers demanding the latest safety features, 'the industry faces pressure to align with global standards', Bhatia said.
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Mainland autonomy requires oceanic depth
The Chinese reaction to the American immigration fracas has strategic undercurrents with a view to not only create alternate models but also emerge as a global education hub. I have previously written on the Chinese build-up towards building world class universities through state facilitated policies with a long-term plan. The size and speed at which they are advancing is shaking certain fundamentals of the game. The 'haigui' (sea-turtles) as the foreign educated returning Chinese are called, have been instrumental in building the science and engineering education in many universities like Tsinghua and Peking comparable to America. Some Chinese are looking at Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, etc. as alternate geographies besides the increasing others who want to develop Chinese University using this turbulence as an opportunity. The Chinese government cannot change what America is doing but certainly is changing what it can do. The Indian side of the foreign landscape is a mixed bag. Surpassing China in terms of growth rate last year, China still retaining the top status of sending the largest number of Chinese to top five destinations—the US, UK, Canada, Australia and France, India is second to China in absolute numbers. India also seems to find an alternate growing interest in Australia, EU, Japan, etc. but needs more efforts to build the native Indian university ecosystem with a foreign touch. Though India and China have invested roughly the same in education (averaging 4.1 per cent to 4.6 per cent of GDP), the Chinese per capita investment is five times more that of India. The lucrative research grants and the magnetic incentives luring back overseas Chinese to China are the double engines of university reforms in China besides revitalising its university autonomy. The UGC Regulations for establishing foreign university campuses in India is a route for foreign universities taking the Pacific or Atlantic or Arabian Sea route to enter India with an oceanic depth in autonomy. The global academic freedom index is a pointer for more university autonomy in India. The regulatory framework for Indian universities in India requires more autonomy which may be given to the top 100 NIRF universities to begin with. There will be marginal collateral damage but it is worth the effort as mainland institutional autonomy requires the oceanic depth that others enjoy. Is anybody listening?
