FDES DEMAND

88% Indian firms want FDEs by 2030; only 1% of engineers fit the bill: Scaler-CMR report

According to India's FDE Opportunity Report, enterprises are hiring for AI deployment and customer-facing skills, but those are the skills engineers lack most.

58% of engineers want FDE roles, but 90% lack upskilling roadmap: Report

A report reveals that nearly 58 percent of engineers desire to transition into forward-deployed engineering roles. Despite this interest, nine in ten engineers are not aware of pathways for upskilling. Furthermore, most engineers feel unclear about the FDE role and career advancement opportunities. Indian enterprises are anticipating a growing demand for FDEs by 2030, particularly in multinational companies.

Software majors add more hands in Q2 on deal wins, growth optimism

Data showed the top six had added a net 5,500 to their rolls in the April-June quarter. Employee data of Infosys, the country’s second-largest software exporter, isn’t included in these calculations as the company is due to announce earnings on October 23 and hasn’t shared its latest manpower data.

GCCs build FDE chops in-house to claw back millions in AI spends

The shift could see GCCs bring $200-300 million worth of FDE-style consulting work in-house across the top 50 mature centres, a report called “WHO has the FDE talent and what it costs” by UnearthInsight, a market intelligence platform estimated.

Employees have to get on the AI train and go where it takes them: KFintech CTO

KFintech embraces artificial intelligence across its operations and workforce. The company utilizes various large language models for different business functions. An in-house AI Gateway manages employee access to these advanced tools. Hiring now emphasises system design and security over basic coding skills. This strategic shift drives significant improvements in product development timelines.

A new army of forward deployed engineers are rewriting the playbook at Indian IT services companies

Everyone wants FDEs, but where are these specialised engineers? IT firms turn to reskilling & adjacent talent pools as FDE demand outpaces supply, writes Shristi Achar.

Go To Page 1 FDEs command a king’s ransomUnearthInsight estimates that FDE salaries in India carry a 30-60% premium over conventional engineering bands. Globally, FDEs receive a 15-20% premium over internal product engineers. Shristi Achar brings out the key numbers!IT needs forward deployed leadership on the front lines to navigate AI resetAs AI now rewrites the IT business algorithm beyond recognition, Indian technology pureplays have responded with a talent reshuffle that's cascading beyond the corner-room down to the very verticals tasked with bringing home the money.Ola Electric Q1 loss narrows; Swiggy makes amendsOla Electric posted an improved June-quarter performance as deliveries picked up. This and more in today's ETtech Top 5.Coforge Q1 Results: Profit soars 63% to Rs 519 crore driven by Encora acquisition, AI-led services demandCoforge reported a remarkable 63.3 percent increase in profits for the June quarter, driven by the recent acquisition of Encora and a surge in demand for artificial intelligence solutions. Additionally, revenue soared by 49.2 percent, reaching an impressive Rs 5,527.7 crore. The company has also secured new orders amounting to USD 691 million for the quarter, projecting a stellar performance for the upcoming year.ETtech Q&A | TCS sees better Q2 show on stressed sectors’ turnaroundMacroeconomic uncertainties due to the West Asia conflict have led to project deferrals in key verticals at Tata Consultancy Services, which reported flat sequential growth and a 13.9% rise on year in rupee terms. India's largest software services firm expects the second quarter to be better with some stressed sectors returning to positivity and a growing AI deal pipeline of $2.6 billion, chief executive K Krithivasan and chief operating officer Aarthi Subramanian told Himanshi Lohchab in an interview. Edited excerpts:Tata Consultancy Services plans up to 8,900 AI deployment engineers, seeks AI acquisitionsTata Consultancy Services is building a large team of forward-deployed engineers. The company is also actively seeking artificial intelligence acquisitions. This strategy aims to create new business opportunities rather than disrupt outsourcing. TCS believes deep client knowledge is key to integrating and deploying AI systems. The firm is investing significantly in talent development and AI accessibility.Uber CEO on Travis Kalanick; Micron’s warning to IndiaDara Khosrowshahi told ET in an interaction that Uber is open to collaborating with founder Travis Kalanick. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.FDE emerges hottest role in AI market, commands big pay premiumThe forward deployed engineer (FDE) has emerged as the hottest job in AI, with companies like OpenAI and Google offering substantial compensation. These consultants are crucial for deploying AI agents and identifying high-impact use cases within organizations.Infosys, TCS, HCLTech shares tumble 5% to fresh 52-week lows; Nifty IT crashes 4%. What’s spooking investors?Indian IT stocks tumbled sharply as Infosys, TCS, HCLTech and others fell up to 5%, dragging the Nifty IT index down 3%. The selloff followed OpenAI’s launch of its Deployment Company, renewing fears of accelerated AI-led disruption. Weak sentiment persisted despite a record-high Wall Street rally and a weaker rupee.OpenAI on Pentagon’s clash with Anthropic: Here’s all that Sam Altman said after signing the dealOpenAI’s defence deal, which followed Anthropic being labelled a supply chain risk, has intensified scrutiny of the AI industry’s ties with the military. Responding to criticism for signing the deal, chief executive Sam Altman said that while the government’s move is disturbing, OpenAI’s layered safeguards remain intact.Signals for 2026: Spotting the shifts before they become headlinesFor Indian startups, 2026 will be an inflection point where experiments of the years past create systems on which the future is built. There are patterns across data, founder behaviour, and market structure, elevated by the evolution of AI, that point to this.Load More