Here's how much salary hike Indians can expect in 2026, according to Aon

The average salary hike in India is seen at about 9% in 2026, as against 8.9% recorded in 2025, according to Aon’s annual survey.

Indian employees can expect a marginal increase in salary hike next year, a new survey has revealed. That, even as global wage growth moderates.

NBFCs and GCCs are seen as handing out the highest salary hikes in 2026. (Representational Image/Pexels)

The average salary hike in India is seen at about 9% in 2026, as against 8.9% recorded in 2025, according to Aon’s Annual Salary Increase & Turnover Survey 2025-26 released on Tuesday. At the same time, voluntary attrition rate has fallen to 17.1% from 17.7% in 2024, which allows companies some wiggle room to rebalance hiring and salary hikes in 2026.

India Salary Hikes 2026 Forecast

• Average salary hike: 9% in 2026 versus 8.9% in 2025
• Top sectors: NBFCs, GCCs, life sciences
• Attrition trend: 17.1% in 2025 versus 17.7% in 2024
• Role & location: Critical functions likely to outperform

“India’s growth story remains strong, supported by infrastructure investments and policy measures,” Roopank Chaudhary, partner and rewards consulting leader (Talent Solutions for India) at Aon, said in a statement.

“Our survey shows that key sectors like real estate and NBFCs are leading the way in talent investment and businesses are taking a strategic approach to compensation to ensure sustainable growth and workforce stability, even amid global uncertainty.”

Against that backdrop, here's a look at which sector will offer how much salary hike in the next year, according to Aon.

Industry	Salary Hike In 2025 (%)	Salary Hike In 2026 (%)
Overall India	8.9	9.0
Automotive	9.8	9.6
Banking	8.5	8.6
Chemicals	8.5	8.8
Ecommerce	8.9	9.2
Engineering Design	9.6	9.7
EManufacturing	9.4	9.2
FMCG	9.0	9.1
GCCs	9.4	9.5
Life Sciences	9.6	9.6
NBFCs	9.8	10.0
Real Estate	10.5	10.9
Retail	9.0	9.6
Tech Services	7.0	6.8
Tech Products	9.3	9.4

Aon believes the recent move to rationalise Goods and Services Tax will also have an impact on the jobs sector.

“Simpler compliance and rationalised tax rates are boosting efficiency,” Amit Kumar Otwani, associate partner (Talent Solutions for India) at Aon, said in a statement. “Companies that align their rewards strategies with these changes will be best positioned to attract top talent.”