SAP, a major business software maker, has announced that it will be hiring “over proportionally” in India, which is set to become the company’s largest workforce, surpassing even its German headquarters.
Currently, SAP Labs India has 15,000 employees, making it the company’s largest engineering hub worldwide and the second-highest overall in terms of headcount. India is one of SAP’s top 10 markets by revenue and its fastest-growing one, according to CEO Christian Klein.
“We will over proportionally hire here [India] versus all the other labs,” Klein stated while visiting the company’s offices in the southern Indian city of Bangalore where SAP’s executive and supervisory boards were also present.
Klein revealed that a majority of future investments into research and development (R&D) and customer success will be directed towards the company’s Indian operations, though he did not provide specific details on hiring numbers or timelines.
SAP is currently building a second office in Bangalore, which will have an additional capacity of 15,000 people. The CEO also noted that SAP’s main team for its artificial intelligence (AI) strategy is located in India, with more leaders heading development teams based out of the country.
Addressing concerns regarding job losses due to generative AI (GenAI), Klein confirmed that SAP will continue to hire as long as the business is growing. He added that a majority of future investments into research and development (R&D) and customer success will go to India, but did not divulge specifics on hiring numbers or time lines.
The announcement highlights India’s growing importance as a key market and talent hub for major technology companies such as SAP, which are increasingly looking to capitalize on the country’s skilled workforce and favorable business environment.
