A recent report highlights a significant narrowing of India”s gender pay gap, positioning the country among the lowest globally. The study conducted by Deel, a global payroll and compliance platform, reveals that median salaries for men and women in India are nearly equivalent, falling between $13,000 and $23,000. This trend underscores an increase in pay equity and the implementation of data-driven compensation models.
The report is based on an analysis of internal data from over 1 million contracts and more than 35,000 clients across 150 nations, providing insights into global salary trends. Additionally, it notes a drastic 40 percent year-on-year reduction in median compensation for engineering and data professionals in India, which plummeted from $36,000 in 2024 to $22,000 in 2025.
According to the report, India”s workforce continues to exhibit a hybrid model, with full-time employees accounting for 60 percent to 70 percent and contract workers making up 30 percent to 40 percent. This reflects a steady move towards flexible work arrangements.
“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,” stated Mark Samlal, General Manager for the APAC region at Deel.
In terms of global compensation, the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada continue to offer the highest median salaries across various job categories. Specialized roles in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital marketing are attracting pay premiums of 20 percent to 25 percent, primarily due to a shortage of skilled professionals and the absence of established salary benchmarks.
The report also highlights that median equity grants for tech talent have steadily increased from 2021 to 2025 in emerging markets, including Brazil and India, indicating a global transition toward compensation models that emphasize equity. The United States leads in the size of equity packages, followed closely by Canada and France.
Despite these advancements, gender pay disparities persist globally, particularly in technology and product roles compared to sales positions. The largest pay gaps are noted in Canada, France, and the United States, as reported.
