NEW DELHI — India’s gender pay gap has narrowed dramatically and now ranks among the lowest globally, according to a new report released Monday by global payroll and compliance firm Deel.
The report found that the median salaries for men and women in India are nearly equal, ranging from $13,000 to $23,000, reflecting what it described as “growing pay equity and the adoption of data-driven compensation models.”
Deel’s analysis was based on internal data from more than 1 million employment contracts and 35,000 customers across 150 countries. The study highlighted India’s progress toward pay transparency and equitable compensation practices driven by analytics and hybrid work structures.
“It’s encouraging to see India emerge as one of the few countries where the gender pay gap has narrowed significantly,” said Mark Samlal, General Manager for the Asia-Pacific region at Deel. “This progress reflects a broader shift toward fairness, transparency, and data-driven compensation models that reward merit over bias.”
The report also pointed to a notable 40 percent year-on-year decline in median compensation for engineering and data professionals in India — from $36,000 in 2024 to $22,000 in 2025 — citing adjustments in global tech pay structures and cost optimization.
India continues to favor hybrid work, with roughly 60 to 70 percent of its workforce employed full-time and 30 to 40 percent on contract terms, the report noted, underscoring the country’s growing dependence on flexible labor arrangements.
Globally, the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada continue to lead in median compensation levels across job categories. Specialized roles in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital marketing command 20 to 25 percent pay premiums due to limited talent supply and undefined global benchmarks.
The study also found that emerging markets such as India and Brazil have seen consistent growth in equity-based compensation since 2021, signaling a worldwide trend toward equity-heavy pay packages. The United States remains the leader in equity grant size, followed by Canada and France.
However, the report said gender pay gaps remain most pronounced in technology and product roles worldwide, particularly in Canada, France, and the U.S., while sales positions tend to show more parity between men and women. (Source: IANS)
