Amidst the global layoffs, the French electronics giant Thales will be hiring 550 employees in 2023 in India, said the company. This is part of the company’s strategy to hire 12,000 new employees globally in 2023 to support its growth trajectory across the aerospace, defence and security, and digital identity and security sector.

"The Group will be hiring all over the world, and expects to take on 5,500 new employees in France, 1,050 in the United Kingdom, 600 in Australia, 550 in India and 540 in the United States," the company says.

The new hiring will take place across the research and development segments such as software and systems engineering, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, as well as for industrial operations such as supply chain, electronics production, and mechanical production, amongst others.

"There is meaning in what we do at Thales, particularly in these times of upheaval and transformation. Day after day, our people around the world are driven by the same goal – harnessing human intelligence and technology to drive progress in our societies. Joining Thales is a ticket to some of technology's great human adventures and a chance to be part of a learning organisation that places a premium on the collective endeavour," says Patrice Caine, chairman and chief executive officer, Thales.

In 2022, Thales recruited 11,500 employees globally, which was 50% more than in 2021, according to the company. Between 2015 and 2022, the company hired at least 5,000 people annually, the company says. As part of its hiring process, Thales is also working to improve the gender balance across its workforce. "In 2022, women accounted for 32% of new hires worldwide, and represented 27% of the group's global workforce as compared to 23.6% in 2018," the company adds.

Earlier this month, the auditing and consultancy firm PwC said it will hire 30,000 employees in India in the next five years to further expand its presence in India. With a current workforce of over 50,000 people in the country, PwC in India expects to grow its talent pool to 80,000 over the next five years. In 2022, the auditing firm opened three new offices in Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, and Noida to focus on hiring local, highly skilled talent.

The development comes as several global companies fired hundreds of employees in India in the past several months. According to reports, the short-video platform TikTok, which was banned by the Indian government in 2020, reportedly fired 40 employees, its entire Indian workforce earlier this month. Last week, social media giant Twitter reportedly shut its offices in Mumbai and New Delhi as a cost-cutting measure. The company fired more than 200 employees in India last year.

Thales Hiring in India

French electronics major Thales to hire over 500 employees in India