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India must rapidly upskill its workforce to remain a global technology hub as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the IT sector, said Arundhati Bhattacharya, CEO of Salesforce India and South Asia, warning that while job disruption is inevitable, new opportunities will emerge.
Speaking at the ET Awards for Corporate Excellence on Saturday, Bhattacharya said the pace of change driven by AI is unprecedented, with skills evolving “almost like being on a rocket, changing every day.”
She stressed that India’s continued relevance in global delivery services will depend on how quickly its workforce adapts to these shifts.
Highlighting India’s advantage, she pointed to its large pool of young professionals who are “easy to train and quick to learn,” and have a strong drive to excel. This, she said, has enabled multinational firms to scale operations in the country. Salesforce’s Hyderabad Centre of Excellence has expanded from around 2,000 employees a decade ago to more than 16,000 today.
Bhattacharya said India helps global companies operate round the clock, especially by working per US time zones. "When work is entrusted to these professionals, it gets done often with significant value addition," she said.
On Layoffs
On concerns around layoffs, Bhattacharya said disruption from AI would inevitably involve short-term pain but emphasised that it would also create entirely new categories of jobs. “The question is not whether jobs will emerge, but where,” she said, adding that the full impact across sectors remains uncertain.
She noted that automation is expected to take over repetitive tasks, with autonomous systems already capable of performing several functions. However, she underlined that human oversight would be necessary, suggesting that AI would augment rather than fully replace human roles.
Bhattacharya added that rising productivity and living standards driven by AI could expand demand across the economy, generating opportunities beyond the IT sector.
“The key is to lean into these changes,” Bhattacharya said, adding that India “does not have too much to worry about.”
Speaking at the ET Awards for Corporate Excellence on Saturday, Bhattacharya said the pace of change driven by AI is unprecedented, with skills evolving “almost like being on a rocket, changing every day.”
She stressed that India’s continued relevance in global delivery services will depend on how quickly its workforce adapts to these shifts.
Highlighting India’s advantage, she pointed to its large pool of young professionals who are “easy to train and quick to learn,” and have a strong drive to excel. This, she said, has enabled multinational firms to scale operations in the country. Salesforce’s Hyderabad Centre of Excellence has expanded from around 2,000 employees a decade ago to more than 16,000 today.
Bhattacharya said India helps global companies operate round the clock, especially by working per US time zones. "When work is entrusted to these professionals, it gets done often with significant value addition," she said.
On Layoffs
On concerns around layoffs, Bhattacharya said disruption from AI would inevitably involve short-term pain but emphasised that it would also create entirely new categories of jobs. “The question is not whether jobs will emerge, but where,” she said, adding that the full impact across sectors remains uncertain.
She noted that automation is expected to take over repetitive tasks, with autonomous systems already capable of performing several functions. However, she underlined that human oversight would be necessary, suggesting that AI would augment rather than fully replace human roles.
Bhattacharya added that rising productivity and living standards driven by AI could expand demand across the economy, generating opportunities beyond the IT sector.
“The key is to lean into these changes,” Bhattacharya said, adding that India “does not have too much to worry about.”
