Microsoft To Layoff Managers And No-Coders; Any Of Its 20000 India Employees In Line Of Fire?

As signs of a global economic slowdown persist, Microsoft is reportedly preparing for another round of job cuts, expected to begin as early as May 2025. Citing sources familiar with the matter, Business Insider reported that the tech giant is looking to streamline operations by reducing layers of middle management and scaling back on non-engineering roles.

The move is understood to be part of a broader internal restructuring effort aimed at recalibrating team dynamics. Microsoft is said to be prioritizing a more engineer-focused workforce, aligning with a wider industry trend where technical talent is increasingly taking center stage, according to Business Insider

Although the exact number of roles likely to be impacted hasn’t been confirmed, reports suggest the cuts may significantly affect teams dominated by non-technical staff. This follows Microsoft’s earlier layoff of nearly 2,000 employees earlier in the year—many of whom were reportedly underperforming by internal evaluation standards.

So far, Microsoft has not publicly acknowledged or confirmed plans for further layoffs, and the company has declined to comment on speculation surrounding workforce changes.

Will India Be Affected?

It remains unclear whether Microsoft’s operations in India will be affected by the potential restructuring. The company currently employs over 20,000 people in India, with its workforce spread across key cities including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, and Chennai. Employees in the region are engaged across engineering, cloud solutions, and enterprise sales.

Microsoft recently reaffirmed that India continues to play a pivotal role in its global strategy. In March, the company announced a $3 billion investment to strengthen its Azure cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in the country. The investment, spread over two years, is aimed at expanding local data center capacity and fast-tracking AI skilling and adoption.

Also Read: 'Single Largest Expansion Ever': Microsoft to Invest $3 Billion in India to Expand Cloud and AI Capacity | Republic World

While layoffs have become a familiar theme across the global tech industry, India may remain a relatively insulated market for Microsoft in the medium term, as per industry watchers.