Archives April 2025

Mumbai, April 29, 2025- The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, today hosted a high-level Egyptian delegation led by H.E. Prof. Dr. Ayman Bahaa El Din, Deputy Minister of Technical Education, for a pivotal round of deliberations at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi. This engagement marks another milestone in the ever-strengthening India-Egypt relationship, building on the momentum of the 2023 elevation of bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership and the recent recognition of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi with Egypt’s highest civilian honour.

Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, MSDE, highlighted the enduring people-to-people and institutional linkages between the two nations. He emphasized India’s vision to become the “Skill Capital of the World” through the Skill India Mission, under which already close to 400,000 individuals have already been trained in advanced domains such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and big data, while nurturing over 1.3 million entrepreneurs.

India’s efforts to align its vocational education and training (TVET) ecosystem with global standards, and the establishment of world-class Skill India International Centres, were presented as models for international collaboration.

The Egyptian delegation shared insights into Egypt’s comprehensive TVET reforms, including the EU-supported TVET Egypt Reform Programme and the establishment of Sector Skill Councils, which resonate with India’s scalable and affordable skilling models. Both sides acknowledged the success of ongoing collaborations, such as the 2024 MoU between India’s NIELIT and Egypt’s Information Technology Institute, the El-Sewedy Group’s partnership with Amity University, and the Indian-supported Vocational Training Centre in Cairo.

Looking ahead, the two countries identified several promising avenues for future cooperation. These include joint certification programmes, faculty and student exchanges, digital skilling and entrepreneurship initiatives, and the establishment of Centres of Excellence in priority sectors like information technology, agriculture, tourism, and green skills. Both delegations expressed a shared commitment to creating a globally competitive, future-ready workforce and to using their partnership as a template for broader South-South cooperation.

April 29, 2025: M1 NXT, an international trade financing platform, has announced its strategic partnership with Air8, a global supply chain financier, to enhance cross-border trade finance accessibility for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) worldwide. This strategic partnership aims to make cross-border trade financing more accessible, helping businesses navigate the complexities of cross-border trade and mitigate risks associated with international buyers.

The Indian MSME export sector has witnessed remarkable growth, with total export value reaching ₹12.39 lakh crore in 2024-25. The number of MSME exporters has surged to 173,350, since 2020-21. On the global front, the MSME credit gap is estimated at $5.7 trillion, highlighting the urgent need for accessible trade financing solutions presenting a vast opportunity for Trade finance.

Air8 is a digital venture of LFX, an affiliate of the world’s leading supply chain solutions manager, Li & Fung group, nurturing SME exporters in the emerging markets for a sustainable future. Since its inception in 2021, Air8 has achieved over USD 1 billion in annual Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) and has financed suppliers across multiple countries.

M1 NXT is a subsidiary of Mynd Solutions Pvt Ltd, India’s leading TReDS platform operator. M1 NXT, operating under the International Trade Financing Services (ITFS) framework at GIFT City, connects exporters and importers with global financial institutions, simplifying access to working capital.

Through this partnership, Air8 joins M1 NXT as a financier, expanding financing opportunities for businesses engaged in global trade. With expertise in risk assessment and supply chain financing, Air8 will provide fast, reliable, and cost-effective financing solutions, enabling SMEs to optimize working capital and scale their international operations. This will further allow M1 NXT to offer tailored financial solutions, ensuring greater access to trade finance for SMEs navigating global markets.

“This partnership strengthens M1 NXT’s mission to bridge the global trade finance gap for SMEs,” said Munindra Verma, CEO of M1 NXT. He added, “By integrating our robust ITFS platform with Air8’s deep experience in supply chain finance, we are accelerating financial inclusion and liquidity for companies that participate in international trade. We are creating a more inclusive and streamlined ecosystem, one that allows SMEs to gain access to working capital, reduce risks, and grow into global markets with confidence.”

Ankit Verma, India Lead of Air8 said, “The global MSME credit gap of $5.7 trillion underscores the urgent need for accessible and efficient financing solutions. This gap highlights the urgent need for accessible and efficient financing solutions. Our collaboration with M1 NXT will empower businesses by providing them with the financial tools to scale operations, manage risks, and explore new opportunities. Together, we aim to bridge the credit gap and support the growth of vibrant SME ecosystems worldwide.”

India, April 29^th, 2025: The University of Leeds is raising the bar in postgraduate education with the launch of a guaranteed industry consulting project for every taught postgraduate (Masters) student enrolling from the 2025/26 academic year. This exclusive opportunity is designed to equip students—including those from India—with real-world, global experience and the professional skills employers value most.

Building on successful pilot programmes involving over 400 students, the Leeds Global Industry Programme (GIP) ensures that each student will work in a small, diverse teams to tackle genuine industry challenges presented by UK or international organisations. These projects are delivered virtually, allowing students to collaborate across borders while solving real-world problems in areas such as business strategy, technology innovation, sustainability and social impact.

Talking about the University of Leeds GIP, Greg Miller, Deputy Director of Student Opportunity, University of Leeds said, “This is a game-changing initiative for students preparing for global careers. We’ve designed this programme to offer every student—regardless of subject studied, background or prior experience—the opportunity to work on high-impact, real-world projects that strengthen their CV and professional direction.”

Focussing on the impact of the programme on Indian students, in particular, “Indian students bring strong analytical and collaborative skills—this programme enhances their employability and professional confidence before they graduate.” added Greg.

The programme is open to students from all subject areas and is designed to fit around their studies. Participants will receive a live company brief, conduct research and analysis, and develop solutions before presenting their findings in a professional consultancy report. The experience is supported by dedicated staff, culminating in a certificate and digital badge to strengthen students’ professional portfolios.

As per the finding from the pilot programme, the impact is clear – 91% of students report greater confidence in their ability to contribute to future employers, 87% say they have increased career clarity and awareness, 89% note development of key skills including communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, and 91% gain practical, relevant work experience.

Industry partners also find the projects valuable and rated 93% of student final reports being of high and outstanding quality.

“Fantastic, the platform and framework surrounding the programme is absolutely awesome. There is a real feel for the client/consultant relationship here. It also allows students to appreciate working with professionals and understanding the nuances of the professional world.” said one of the employers.

This initiative complements the University of Leeds’ comprehensive employability and careers support, which includes internships and paid work, leadership programmes, start-up and enterprise guidance, mentoring, careers fairs and employer events throughout the year as well as becoming part of a global network of over 312,000 alumni across 197 countries.

With a strong Indian student community and a growing focus on global, virtual opportunities, the University of Leeds remains a top destination for ambitious students looking to build international careers.

Kochi, 29 April 2025: The Apex body of Investment Bankers of India; AIBI, in collaboration with the National Stock Exchange (NSE), BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange), and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), organized the second edition of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Conclave in Kochi on 22^nd April 2025 at Hotel Radisson Blu. The goal of this Conclave was to increase awareness about SME IPOs, opportunities and challenges.

Shri Ashwani Bhatia, Whole Time Member, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) graced the event as the Chief Guest and shared his insights on the evolving SME ecosystem and regulatory support for capital formation. The conclave also featured a series of high-powered panel discussion with representatives from NSE, BSE, ICAI and AIBI. This discussion delved into critical and strategic aspects of the SME IPO journey, including market readiness, regulatory compliance, due diligence, and the role of intermediaries in nurturing credible SME listings.

Themes discussed during the conclave included:

• Transparency and Disclosure in Indian Capital Market

• Success Factors for SMEs in Public Capital Markets

• Role of Merchant Banker in the journey to listing

• Opportunities for CA Professionals in Primary Markets.

The Conclave bought together key stakeholders from the financial ecosystem — including Investment Bankers, Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries, SME promoters, and policy influencers, to promote awareness, collaboration, and best practices in the SME capital market ecosystem. Some of the notable key dignitaries at the event were Shri. Deep Mani Shah – CGM, SEBI, Shri. Jitendra Kumar – GM, SEBI, Shri. Ankit Sharma – CRO, NSE, Dr. Milind Dalvi – CEO, AIBI, Ms. Radha Kirthivasan – Head Listing & SME, BSE, Shri. Venkatraghavan S. MD, Equirus Capital (Director, AIBI), CA. Babu Abraham Kallivayalil, Central Council Member, ICAI, Ms. Parvathi Moorthy – AVP, SME Business Development, NSE, CA. Durgesh Kumar Kabra, Chairman, CFMIP, ICAI, Shri. Alok Harlalka – MD, Gretex Corporate Services Ltd. and CA. Dayaniwas Sharma, Vice-Chairman, CFMIP, ICAI. 

Elaborating on significance of SMEs in the financial ecosystem of India, Dr. Milind Dalvi, CEO, AIBI said, “Our SME Conclave highlighted the critical importance of nurturing and supporting Small and Medium Enterprises, the backbone of India’s economy. Through this initiative, we sought to create a platform for awareness, guidance, and empowerment, enabling SMEs to successfully navigate the complexities of regulatory compliance, financial management, and investor expectations, ultimately paving the way for successful public listings and sustained growth. AIBI endeavours to curate more such interactive events across regions to empower SMEs and help them elevate to the next level.”

Mumbai, India, April 29, 2025 — Palo Alto Networks^® (NASDAQ: PANW), the global cybersecurity leader, today unveiled Cortex XSIAM^® 3.0, the next evolution of its industry-leading SecOps platform, bolstered with proactive exposure management and advanced email security, enabling customers to further consolidate on Cortex for significantly better, faster and more cost-effective security operations.

Three years ago, Palo Alto Networks anticipated the future of security operations by introducing Cortex XSIAM, which consolidates and normalizes all cybersecurity data to fuel advanced, real-time analytics and automation, making disjointed point products obsolete. The best-selling platform surged past $1 billion cumulative bookings in FY25 Q2, making it our fastest offering to reach this milestone. Earlier this year, Palo Alto Networks doubled down on cloud security with the introduction of Cortex Cloud, converging its industry-leading CNAPP and CDR capabilities on the unified Cortex platform.

Cortex XSIAM 3.0 ​​continues its relentless disruption of the security operations market by upending decades-old approaches to vulnerability management and email security. It further expands the scope of the SOC from reactive to proactive security to prevent breaches before they happen, in addition to its current powerful incident response capabilities. These new XSIAM innovations will help customers modernize legacy offerings across a total TAM of $37 billion.

 Gonen Fink, SVP of Products, Cortex at Palo Alto Networks:

“Cortex XSIAM harnesses the power of the world’s largest and most comprehensive set of security data to transform our customers’ ability to rapidly counter evolving attacks with advanced AI and automation. This expansion of our groundbreaking SecOps platform merges best-in-class reactive with proactive security measures, allowing customers to achieve unprecedented risk reduction across their entire enterprise, from code to cloud to SOC.”

Cortex XSIAM 3.0 will enable customers to stop attacks at scale using AI-driven threat defense with Cortex Exposure Management and Advanced Email Security.

Cortex Exposure Management: Cut vulnerability noise by up to 99% with AI-driven prioritization and automated remediation spanning the entire enterprise:

• See every exposure: Uncover risks with a unified solution spanning native network, endpoint and cloud scanners — extended with integration from any third-party source.
• Cut alert noise based on actual risk, not compliance: Use AI to prioritize high-risk, exploitable vulnerabilities with no compensating controls, eliminating false alarms.
• Close the loop with industry-leading automation to prevent future attacks: Seamlessly create new protections for critical risks in native network, endpoint and cloud security solutions. Automate remediation across first- and third-party tools with playbook automation.

Cortex Advanced Email Security: Stop sophisticated email-based attacks missed by other solutions, with advanced AI and automation:

• Outsmart GenAI-powered threats: Detect advanced phishing and email-based threats based on attacker intent with LLM-powered analytics that continuously learn from emerging threats.
• Stop attacks in real time with built-in automation: Automatically remove malicious emails, disable compromised accounts, and isolate affected endpoints with best-in-class workflow automation.
• Extend industry-leading detection and response with complete email context: Correlate email, identity, endpoint and cloud data for unparalleled visibility into the full attack path for effective incident response.

 Chris DeBrunner, VP of Security Operations, CBTS:

“The transition to Cortex XSIAM has transformed our SOC operations at CBTS. Previously, we struggled with alert fatigue due to multi-console complexity, multiple data sources, disparate vendors, and labor-intensive tasks. With the consolidation of major security capabilities into one platform, we have achieved remarkable efficiencies. Our incident close-out rate has reached 100%, and we have significantly reduced our median time to resolution (MTTR) from days to, in some cases, seconds. The automation provided by XSIAM has been crucial in managing the alert overwhelm we faced, making our team more effective and less error-prone.”

Chase Hymel, CISO, State of Louisiana: 

“Discovering the capabilities of Cortex XSIAM was a game-changer for the State of Louisiana. It’s helped us to modernize our security infrastructure and set an example for other states to follow. By adopting XSIAM, we have significantly improved threat visibility and response effectiveness. Cortex XSIAM has allowed us to consolidate our security tools into one integrated platform, enhancing our security operations and protecting citizen data effectively. We have reduced MTTR from over 24 hours to under two minutes and automated the resolution of 86% of incidents.”

Availability: Exposure Management and Advanced Email Security are expected to be generally available to customers globally in FY25 Q4. For more details on Cortex XSIAM 3.0, read our blog here.

Register to attend: On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. PDT, join Palo Alto Networks Chairman and CEO Nikesh Arora for a virtual event: Hello Tomorrow, and dive into how innovations in AI-driven SecOps are redefining security from the inside out.

Don’t miss the launch event: Register for a one-hour virtual event June 4-5, 2025, to be among the first to see Cortex XSIAM 3.0 in action.

Chandigarh, 29 April 2025 – Sonata, India’s most loved watch brand, introduces Sonata Gold – a stylish and thoughtfully crafted collection that reimagines the way we experience gold. At the intersection of form and function, Sonata Gold presents a bold new way to wear your love for gold – not just as a tradition, but as a personal style statement.

With Akshaya Tritiya, a time associated with prosperity and positive beginnings, just around the corner, Sonata Gold offers a refreshingly modern take on gold gifting. Each timepiece in this collection features a genuine 0.15g 22K Tanishq Gold Coin set into its dial, a gleaming detail that speaks volumes about craftsmanship, legacy, and design.

This collection is perfect for those who appreciate the finer details, from the sleek case design to the contrast of a lacquered high-polish black dial with the embedded gold coin, and a genuine leather strap that adds a touch of quiet sophistication.

Speaking on the new offerings, Mr. Prateek Gupta, Brand Head at Sonata, said, “Sonata Gold isn’t just a watch – it’s an experience. We wanted to create something that feels premium, timeless yet trend-forward. These watches are for those who value design – a subtle yet strong expression of gold, for yourself or for someone you love.”

Business Highlights

• Total Business grew by 14.12% Y-o-Yto Rs. 5,13,527Crore as on 31.03.2025 from Rs. 4,50,007 Crore as on 31.03.2024.
• Total Deposits increased by 11.56% Y-o-Y basis to Rs. 2,93,542 Crore as on 31.03.2025 from Rs. 2,63,130 Crore as on 31.03.2024.
• Gross Advances grew 17.72%  Y-o-Y to Rs. 2,19,985 Crore as on 31.03.2025 as against Rs. 1,86,877 Crore as on 31.03.2024.
• RAM (Retail, Agri & MSME) business stood at Rs.1,22,613Crore as on 31.03.2025as against Rs.97,516Croreas on 31.03.2024, registering a growth of 25.74% Y-o-Y basis.
• Retail Advances stood at Rs. 54,255 Crore as on 31.03.2025 as against  Rs .40,161 Crore as on 31.03.2024 registering a growth of 35.09%Y-o-Y basis, backed by growth in Home loan and Vehicle loan portfolio which registered a growth of 18.13% and 58.99% respectively on Y-o-Y basis.
• Agriculture Advances stood at Rs. 29,575 Crore as on 31.03.2025 as against Rs. 24,641 Crore as on 31.03.2024, showing a growth of 20.02% Y-o-Y basis.
• Advances to MSME sector stood at Rs. 38,783 Crore as on 31.03.2025 as against Rs. 32,714 Crore as on 31.03.2024, registered a growth of 18.55% Y-o-Y basis.
• Business per employee improved to Rs.24.35Croreas on 31.03.2025 as against Rs.20.93Crore for the same period of preceding year.
• Operating Profit for the quarter ended 31.03.2025 stood at Rs. 1,699 Crore registering a growth of 33.48% Y-o-Y basis as against Rs. 1,273 Crore for the same period of preceding year. For the year ended  March 2025, Operating Profit has grown by 31.92% to Rs. 6,037C rore as against Rs. 4,576 Crore for the year ended March 2024.
• Net Profit for the quarter ended 31.03.2025 stood at Rs.652Crore as against Rs.526Crore for the same period in the preceding year, registering a growth of 23.98% Y-o-Y. Net profit stood at Rs. 2,445 Crore for the year ended March 2025 showing a growth of 47.80% Y-o-Y as against Rs. 1,654 Crore for year ended March 2024.
• Net Interest Income (NII) for the quarter ended 31.03.2025 stood at Rs. 2,698 Crore registering a growth of 23.35%  Y-o-Y basis as against Rs. 2,187Crore for the same period of preceding year. For the year ended March 2025, Net Interest Income(NII) grew by 18.88%  Y-o-Y basis to Rs. 9,630 Crore as against Rs. 8,101 Crore for the year ended March 2024.
• NIM for the year ended  March 2025 stood at 3.08% as against 2.92% for the year ended March 2024..
• Earning per share improved to Rs. 2.04 as on 31.03.2025 as against Rs. 1.38 as on 31.03.2024.

Asset Quality

• Gross NPA improved to 2.69 % as on 31.03.2025 as against 3.46% as on 31.03.2024, registering an improvement of 77 bps Y-o-Y.
• Net NPA improved to 0.50 % as on 31.03.2025as against0.89% as on 31.03.2024, registering an improvement of 39 bpsY-o-Y.
• Provision Coverage Ratio stood at 96.69% as on 31.03.2025.

Dividend

• Dividend @ 3.90% (i.e @ 39 paise per equity share) is proposed for the year 2024-25.

Branch Network

• As on 31.03.2025 Bank hada network of 3302 domestic branches and 2 overseas branches each at Hong Kong and Singaporeand 1 Representative Office in Iran. Out of the total branches, Bank has 2031 (61%) branches in rural & semi-urban areas. Bank has 2522 ATMs and 10653 BC Points making the total number of 16480 touch points as on 31st March 2025.

Mumbai/Chennai, 29 April 2025: TVS Credit Services Limited, one of India’s leading NBFCs, announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and financial year ended March 31, 2025. The Company reported a Total Income of Rs. 1,674 Crore for Q4 FY25, a growth of 10% from Q4 FY24 and Net Profit After Tax of Rs.226 Crore for Q4 FY25, a growth of 53% from Q4 FY24.

FY2025 Performance Highlights:

• AUM at Rs. 26,647 Crore in FY25, a 3% increase compared to FY24.
• Total Income for FY25 was Rs. 6,630 Crore, a 14% growth compared to FY24.
• Profit Before Tax for FY25 was Rs. 1025 Crore, a 35% increase compared to FY24.
• Net Profit After Tax amounted to Rs. 767 Crore for FY25, a 34% increase compared to FY24.

In Q4 FY25, the industry witnessed moderation in the growth of credit following the festive surge in Q3. TVS Credit maintained its strategic focus on building a diversified book, primarily targeting consumer finance and retail segments. The Company took a risk calibrated approach and focused on chosen customer segments particularly in Consumer Loans and Vehicle Finance. During this period, TVS Credit disbursed loans to over 13 lakh new customers, bringing its total customer base to nearly 1.9 crore.

TVS Credit will continue to focus on steady growth by increasing market penetration and share, expanding product offerings and distribution, driving digital transformation, and enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.

Navi Mumbai, 29 April 2025 – Fino Payments Bank Limited (NSE: FINOPB | BSE: 543386) today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended 31 March 2025. The Bank reported robust growth across its digital, annuity, and deposit verticals, underpinned by platform scalability, sustained customer acquisition, and effective technology optimisation.

Key Highlights

• First Payments Bank to maintain consistent profitability for five consecutive years (Q4 FY’20 – Q4 FY’25)

• FY’25 revenue at ₹1,847 crore, in line with guidance, reflecting 25% YoY growth
• High-margin CMS and CASA products contributed 38% to the revenue in FY’25
• Digital (UPI) transactions volume crossed 288 crore in FY’25 up 80% over FY’24
• Bank clocked over ₹1,260 crore transactions on a daily basis in FY’25 thereby demonstrating a record annual throughput of ₹4.6+ lakh crore, registering 29% YoY growth

Financial Highlights

Segment-wise Highlights

Digital Momentum

• Digital throughput rose 70% YoY to ₹225,482 crore in FY’25
• Contributed 1.62% of national UPI transaction volume in Q4’25
• Digital payments revenue grew 4.2x YoY to ₹390 crore

Customer Ownership

• Customer base reached 1.43 crore, a 30% YoY increase
• 33+ lakh new accounts opened during FY’25. (Over 9,000 accounts opened everyday)
• Average deposits rose 37% YoY to ₹1,849 crore. 
• Strong liability franchise augurs well to mobilise low cost deposits and explore future growth opportunities, including Small Finance Bank transition
• CASA renewal income reached ₹190 crore, up 48% YoY
• ~ 53 lakh customers digitally active in Mar’25 setting base for higher balances and renewal revenue.

CMS (FY’25)

• Client base expanded to 230, a 11% YoY increase

• CMS throughput grew 24% YoY to ₹83,451 crore

Technology Update

• • Invested over ₹ 150 crore+ in FY’25, will continue to invest in superior technology. 
  • Core banking platform (CBS) migration to Finacle is progressing as planned and is expected to be completed by Q1’26 

• UPI: Handled ~1 crore daily transaction volume in Q4’25

Management Commentary

Rishi Gupta, MD & CEO, said:

“FY’25 has been a transformational year for Fino. Our endeavour to position ourselves as a leading digital player is reflected in our growth. Leveraging our technology-enabled network and digital ecosystem has been our mantra for sustainable growth. Our diligent customer centric approach enhances our long-term vision of monetising our customer base. Importantly, our strategic focus on customer ownership, digital-first approach, continuous innovation and exploring value creating avenues is at the core of our commitment to inclusive growth and profitability.”

Ketan Merchant, CFO, added:

“We delivered on our revised guidance of 25% YoY (5% up from earlier guidance of 20%) growth in topline and remain focused on creating long-term shareholder value with discipline and agility. Our sustained performance has made Fino the first payments bank to remain profitable for five consecutive years. Our continued focus on the highly profitable digital segment has delivered exceptional results, with digital now contributing 21% to the total revenue – exceeding our expectations in FY’25.”

Mumbai, 29th April 2025: India’s job market is surging ahead with renewed momentum in 2025, as revealed by Apna’s latest “India at Work – Q1 2025” report. The platform witnessed a record-breaking 1.81 crore job applications, a 30% increase from the previous year, reflecting India’s growing economic optimism and digital hiring boom across sectors.

Women’s participation in the workforce soared, with over 62 lakh applications—a 23% year-on-year jump. Notably, applications from women for enterprise roles doubled, marking a 92% surge. This growth was most pronounced in Tier 2 and 3 cities such as Chandigarh, Indore, and Jamshedpur, driven by flexible work options, gender-inclusive hiring, and expanded opportunities in sectors like BPO, finance, and HR.

Freshers also powered India’s employment engine, contributing over 66 lakh applications—a 46% YoY increase. With companies increasingly recruiting from beyond metro cities, emerging talent hubs like Rajkot, Warangal, and Meerut are now part of the mainstream hiring narrative.

On the supply side, Apna saw 3.1 lakh job postings, up 26% from Q1 2024. SMBs led the charge, posting over 2.1 lakh jobs, including 28,547 roles exclusively for women. Enterprise hiring rose sharply with companies like LIC, Paytm, Delhivery, and Flipkart creating over 1 lakh openings, expanding recruitment beyond metros and tapping into the national talent pool.

Reflecting on India’s evolving workforce, Nirmit Parikh, Founder & CEO of Apna, shared: “When we launched Apna, we weren’t just building a jobs platform — we were building a movement to unlock access for every Indian, regardless of their pin code or past experience. In Q1 2025 too, we witnessed this vision materialize in ways we had always hoped for. From Delhi to Dehradun, Surat to Samastipur, we saw hiring become truly decentralized. Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities contributed over 40% of new users, with many of them showing double-digit growth in job applications. Applications from women for enterprise roles didn’t just rise, they saw a 92% leap. Fresher applications crossed 66 lakh. Enterprises scaled hiring into non-metro regions, and SMBs emerged as the largest job creators — not just in metros, but across 900+ cities. The hiring process itself is evolving too — with AI now matching candidates faster, improving conversion rates, and empowering job seekers to prepare smarter. We’re seeing people find not just any job, but the right job — faster than ever before. In just one quarter, over 1.81 crore job applications were submitted on Apna. That’s not just a statistic — it’s 1.81 crore stories of determination. From Tier 1 metros to the most remote Tier 3 towns, India is not just working — India is winning. And Apna is proud to be enabling that revolution.”

India’s digital transformation continues to gain momentum, particularly in Tier 2 cities, where the demand for advanced tech talent is soaring. In Q1 2025, Apna recorded a remarkable 65.4% increase in job postings for Software/Web Developer roles, alongside a 42.2% rise in fresher applications for these positions compared to the previous year. This surge highlights the growing need for specialized professionals in fields such as AI/ML, cybersecurity, business intelligence, and data-driven operations, as enterprises in these regions expand their digital capabilities.

While traditional tech hubs like Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai maintain their dominance, cities such as Indore, Jaipur, Lucknow, Rajkot, and Warangal are rapidly emerging as key players in the tech hiring landscape. These cities have experienced a 30-50% year-on-year growth in tech job applications, driven by increased access to engineering talent, certifications, and stronger digital infrastructure. The rise of remote-first work models has further enabled these cities to tap into a broader pool of tech professionals.

With India’s digital economy on track to reach $1 trillion by 2030, the shift toward decentralized tech talent hubs is gaining momentum. Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are no longer just participating in India’s tech revolution — they are at the forefront of driving the country’s digital future, fostering innovation, and reshaping the tech hiring landscape for the years to come.