Aon: GCCs, tech product firms to lead 9.1% pay rise in 2027; attrition hits 18%

Salaries in India are projected to rise by an average of 9.1% in 2027, almost the same as the 9.0% actually paid in 2026, while overall attrition has climbed back to 18%, according to Aon's Salary Increase and Turnover Survey 2026-27 released on Wednesday, 14 October 2026. For tech workers, the survey projects increases of 9.5% at technology platform and product companies and 9.4% at Global Capability Centres (GCCs), and it reports that people with artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science skills are paid a premium of about 10%.

For anyone planning a move in tech this year, the survey gives a clear picture of where the money is. The broad pay outlook is steady rather than spectacular: a 9.1% average increase in a year of global uncertainty. Aon expects real wage growth, after inflation and the fall in the rupee, of about 5.1%, so the extra money in hand will be smaller than the headline number suggests.

Within tech, the figures point to the two parts of the industry that are still building teams in India. Product and platform companies are expected to hold their raises at 9.5%, and GCCs, the in-house technology and operations centres that global companies run in India, are projected at 9.4%. Both are above the national average. GCCs have been among the steadiest sources of tech jobs in the past two years, and the projected increase suggests they are still competing hard for experienced engineers.

The rise in attrition to 18% is the other half of the story. More people are changing jobs than a year ago, and Aon linked the churn to demand for specialised skills, especially AI talent in technology consulting, GCCs and banking. When companies cannot find enough people with those skills, they hire them away from each other, and the roughly 10% premium for AI, machine learning and data science roles reflects that contest. Roopank Chaudhary of Aon tied the overall pay outlook to domestic consumption, investment and exports.

The jump in the use of AI productivity tools, from 46.1% of companies to 56% in a year, shows why these skills are in demand. As more firms build AI into everyday work, they need people who can set up, manage and check those systems, and they are paying more for them.

Short-term: Employees at product companies and GCCs can expect raises a little above the national average in the next cycle, and those with proven AI, machine learning or data skills are in the strongest position to negotiate, whether they stay or switch.

Long-term: With attrition rising and AI tools spreading, employers are likely to put more money into training their own staff in AI skills rather than only hiring from outside, and the gap in pay between AI-skilled workers and others may persist. Students and early-career engineers who build demonstrable AI skills are likely to have an advantage.

Who is affected: Tech professionals in product companies, GCCs and IT services; students and freshers choosing which skills to build; and HR teams setting pay budgets for 2027.

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