Scaler-CMR report reveals 88% of Indian enterprises seeking forward deployed engineers by 2030

What the Scaler-CMR report shows

Indian enterprises are preparing for a major evolution in how technical talent is deployed, with 88 per cent of corporations expecting their demand for forward deployed engineers to surge by 2030.

According to "India’s FDE Opportunity Report" published jointly by edtech firm Scaler and market research agency CyberMedia Research (CMR), six in ten Indian companies plan to recruit forward deployed engineers within the next 12 months. Among multinational corporations and global capability centres operating in India, that figure rises to 77 per cent.

Forward deployed engineers work directly alongside enterprise clients, translating complex technology into live, reliable production systems. While 58 per cent of Indian software engineers express a strong desire to move into these roles, only 1 per cent currently hold formal designations as forward deployed engineers, revealing a massive upskilling opportunity across India's technology ecosystem.

Where the skill gaps lie

The report underlines that while fundamental coding talent is widely available across India, the next phase of enterprise growth requires specialized expertise in taking artificial intelligence out of the lab and into real-world client operations.

To address these technical gaps, Indian corporations are actively reshaping their recruitment processes. Over half of surveyed enterprises — 51 per cent — now test candidates using real production deployment and troubleshooting scenarios, compared to just 24 per cent who rely primarily on traditional coding assessments.

High salaries and national upskilling roadmap

This shifting demand creates lucrative career trajectories for Indian tech professionals. Both employers and candidates expect forward deployed engineering roles to command a pay premium of 21 per cent to 30 per cent above standard software engineering positions. Among professionals already working in these integrated roles, 80 per cent report annual compensation packages ranging between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 1 crore.

Rather than relying solely on external hiring, Indian enterprises are building internal capability. The study shows that 56 per cent of companies already have engineers performing deployment work under conventional job titles, and 47 per cent plan to transition their workforce through dedicated upskilling programs.

"What will matter most is the ability to take an AI solution from a proof of concept to a reliable production implementation while working closely with the customer," an enterprise decision-maker at a global capability centre stated in the report.

With strong institutional backing, expanding global capability centres, and rapid industry adoption of advanced AI frameworks, India’s software workforce is well positioned to lead this global technological transition.