Last updated: 9 November 2026. We update this page in the first week of every month.
We built this tracker for people in India's tech workforce who want facts, not forwarded WhatsApp messages. Every entry is traced to a company statement or an established news outlet, with the source linked so you can check it yourself. Where a company hasn't confirmed a number, we mark it as reported.
If you've been affected, you're not alone, and many people find their next role at a startup. Start here.
October 2026 at a glance
Company | When | India impact | Teams affected | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Amazon | 6–7 Oct | Not disclosed; India among affected countries | Customer service, seller support, some retail engineering | |
Innodata | 26 Oct | About 550 (reported) | India operations; company has not confirmed details | |
Qualcomm | Announced 19–20 Oct | Not disclosed | Performance-based, across functions; notices from November | |
Oracle (continuing) | From mid-Sept | Over 1,000, possibly up to 2,000 (reported) | Product engineering, consulting |
October 2026: company by company
Amazon (October 2026)
- What happened: Amazon confirmed a new round of corporate job cuts on 7 October, with employees notified from 6 October. Reuters reported fewer than 1,000 roles affected worldwide, mainly in its Stores business.
- India impact: India was named among the affected countries. No India-only number has been disclosed.
- Teams affected: customer service, seller and marketplace support, and some retail engineering roles.
- Status: the cuts came as the Great Indian Festival sale began. Amazon is still hiring in India.
- Sources: Business Standard (Reuters), People Matters
Innodata (October 2026)
- What happened: employees at the US-based AI data services company lost system access during the workday and then received termination emails, effective 26 October.
- India impact: nearly 550 employees in India, as reported by India Today.
- Teams affected: India operations. The termination email cited a reduction in the business assignment staff were hired for. Innodata has not confirmed the total.
- Status: affected employees reported trouble accessing payslips and HR portals after being locked out.
- Sources: People Matters, citing India Today
Qualcomm (announced October 2026)
- What happened: CEO Cristiano Amon told staff in a 19 October memo that Qualcomm will make global, performance-based job cuts after annual reviews, with notifications from November.
- India impact: not disclosed. Qualcomm has not said how many roles in India will be affected.
- Teams affected: not disclosed. Hyderabad and Bengaluru host its chip design, embedded software, 5G and AI engineering teams.
- Status: announced. Notices are expected to begin in November; we'll update this entry when they do.
- Sources: Business Standard, People Matters
Oracle (continuing from September 2026)
- What happened: a new global round started in mid-September and extended to India, months after Oracle cut about 12,000 jobs in India in April.
- India impact: reported at over 1,000 employees, with internal estimates of up to 2,000.
- Teams affected: mainly product engineering and consulting.
- Status: Oracle has not disclosed official numbers.
- Sources: Deccan Herald, Business Today
What's driving layoffs in 2026
- AI-led restructuring: large tech companies are moving budget from existing teams to AI infrastructure.
- Performance-based cuts: some companies, including Qualcomm this month, now tie reductions to annual reviews instead of announcing them as layoffs.
- Service contract changes: AI data and IT services firms cut staff when a client contract shrinks, as in Innodata's case.
- Skill shift: demand keeps growing for AI, data, cloud and security roles even as other roles shrink.
A layoff can open a new door
A layoff usually reflects a company's budgets and priorities, not the quality of your work. It's hard, and it's fine to take a few days to absorb it.
It also helps to see the bigger shift. Many large companies are moving from big, layered teams to leaner ones, and more of the work they once did in-house now goes to smaller, specialised companies. That shift is part of why India's startups and SMBs keep growing, and why they need experienced people who can own a problem end to end.
For many people, a layoff becomes the push to look at roles they wouldn't have considered while comfortable: a startup where they own more, a team building something new, or a skill they've wanted to grow. Thousands of startups and SMBs across India are hiring right now, and the steps below will help you move toward them with a clear head.
If you were laid off: a checklist
- Get your relieving letter, experience letter and full and final settlement in writing.
- Download your payslips and Form 16 before your system access ends.
- Transfer your PF to your next employer and check whether you qualify for gratuity.
- Rewrite your resume around results and numbers, not job titles.
- Ask former colleagues for referrals. It's the fastest way back in.
- Set up free job alerts for your role and city, and watchlist the companies you'd like to join.
Find companies that are hiring now
Search 15k+ live startup and SMB jobs across India, or get free job alerts twice a week.
Frequently asked questions
Which companies announced layoffs affecting India in October 2026? Amazon, Innodata and Qualcomm. Oracle's round from September also continued.
How many people were laid off in India in October 2026? There's no confirmed total. The reported numbers include about 550 at Innodata and over 1,000 at Oracle. Amazon and Qualcomm have not disclosed India figures.
Are startups still hiring? Yes. HuntYourTribe lists 15k+ live roles at startups and SMBs across India, taken directly from company career pages.
How do you decide what to include? Only cuts announced by the company or reported by established news outlets. We label unconfirmed numbers as reported and update entries as companies confirm them.
Sources
Amazon: Reuters and Business Insider (7–8 October 2026). Innodata: India Today and People Matters (27 October 2026). Qualcomm: Reuters (20 October 2026), People Matters. Oracle: Deccan Herald and People Matters (September 2026).