![[India] Gender pay gap narrows to among world’s lowest](http://gpa.net/cdn/shop/articles/bigstock-Serious-Indian-Mentor-Worker-T-326875099_5e702d1d-a75b-4455-839e-da2a2c2b3a04_1200x.jpg?v=1761953648)
New research has revealed that India's gender pay gap has narrowed sharply and now ranks among the lowest worldwide, International Business Times reports.
According to a report from Deel, median salaries for men and women in India are now nearly equal, ranging from $13,000 to $23,000.
The change reportedly reflects "growing pay equity and the adoption of data-driven compensation models."
Deel analysed internal platform data from over 1 million contracts and more than 35,000 customers in 150 countries to gain insights into global pay trends.
In addition, Deel’s report highlighted a 40 per cent year-on-year drop in median compensation for engineering and data professionals in India, decreasing from $36,000 in 2024 to $22,000 in 2025.
"India continues to show a hybrid workforce model, with 60 per cent-70 per cent full-time employees and 30 per cent to 40 per cent contract workers, underscoring steady reliance on flexible work arrangements," the report stated.
Mark Samlal - General Manager APAC at Deel - said, "It's encouraging to see India emerge as one of the few countries where the gender pay gap has narrowed significantly. This progress reflects a broader shift toward fairness, transparency, and data-driven compensation models that reward merit over bias."
Globally, the US, UK and Canada reportedly continue to offer the highest median compensation across job categories. Specialised roles in AI, cybersecurity, and digital marketing command 20 per cent to 25 per cent pay premiums as a result of skill scarcity and a lack of established pay benchmarks.
Median equity grants for tech talent were found to have consistently grown from 2021 to 2025 in emerging markets such as Brazil and India, which marked a global shift toward equity-heavy compensation models. The report noted that the US leads in equity package size, followed by Canada and France.
Globally, gender pay gaps remain more stark in tech and product roles compared to sales positions. Deel observed the largest gaps in Canada, France, and the US.
Source: International Business Times
(Quotes via original reporting)
New research has revealed that India's gender pay gap has narrowed sharply and now ranks among the lowest worldwide, International Business Times reports.
According to a report from Deel, median salaries for men and women in India are now nearly equal, ranging from $13,000 to $23,000.
The change reportedly reflects "growing pay equity and the adoption of data-driven compensation models."
Deel analysed internal platform data from over 1 million contracts and more than 35,000 customers in 150 countries to gain insights into global pay trends.
In addition, Deel’s report highlighted a 40 per cent year-on-year drop in median compensation for engineering and data professionals in India, decreasing from $36,000 in 2024 to $22,000 in 2025.
"India continues to show a hybrid workforce model, with 60 per cent-70 per cent full-time employees and 30 per cent to 40 per cent contract workers, underscoring steady reliance on flexible work arrangements," the report stated.
Mark Samlal - General Manager APAC at Deel - said, "It's encouraging to see India emerge as one of the few countries where the gender pay gap has narrowed significantly. This progress reflects a broader shift toward fairness, transparency, and data-driven compensation models that reward merit over bias."
Globally, the US, UK and Canada reportedly continue to offer the highest median compensation across job categories. Specialised roles in AI, cybersecurity, and digital marketing command 20 per cent to 25 per cent pay premiums as a result of skill scarcity and a lack of established pay benchmarks.
Median equity grants for tech talent were found to have consistently grown from 2021 to 2025 in emerging markets such as Brazil and India, which marked a global shift toward equity-heavy compensation models. The report noted that the US leads in equity package size, followed by Canada and France.
Globally, gender pay gaps remain more stark in tech and product roles compared to sales positions. Deel observed the largest gaps in Canada, France, and the US.
Source: International Business Times
(Quotes via original reporting)