(Image source from: News18.com)
The American technology company Oracle has reportedly laid off about 12,000 workers in India, which represents a major reduction, affecting nearly 40% of its local team. This action is part of a larger global strategy where the firm has let go of roughly 30,000 employees around the world. According to reports that include comments from someone in the Human Resources department, these current job cuts might be just the start. A second wave of layoffs is anticipated to happen in the next month as the business continues to adjust its operations. Oracle has officially refrained from discussing the exact numbers. However, an internal message sent to employees explained that the changes were meant to "streamline operations. " This message informed those impacted that their jobs had become "redundant" because of these organizational adjustments. The company has provided a severance package for those who accept a voluntary and friendly resignation. The package consists of: 15 days of pay for each year of service completed, an additional two-month salary "top-up," payment for a month’s notice period, standard leave encashment, and statutory gratuity. There is also compensation for one month of unpaid wages leading up to the date of termination.
The layoffs have raised concerns about labor practices. Merugu Sridhar, a previous employee, claimed he was let go in September after speaking out against mandatory 16-hour shifts. Sridhar also mentioned that Indian workers at Oracle in the United States have been hit harder, as stricter labor laws in the U. S. often provide more protection to local citizens during job cuts. The Oracle layoffs come at a challenging time for the global tech industry. By the end of March 2026, tech job cuts have exceeded 51,000 globally across 102 major announcements. Experts in the industry link the rise, a 51% jump compared to the first quarter of 2025, to rapid moves towards Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a renewed drive for corporate efficiency. Other significant job cuts include Nike (775 positions due to automation), Citi (aiming for a total of 20,000), Target (500 in supply chain), and Angi (350 for reducing expenses).
