Qualcomm starts layoffs in India: up to 1,000 jobs at risk, Bengaluru first

11 Nov 2026 · By Amol Pagar

Qualcomm has started cutting jobs in India. The first exits began at its Bengaluru office on 9 November 2026, the day after Diwali, and several employees have already received notices, according to reports in Moneycontrol, Mint and The Economic Times that cite people familiar with the matter.

How many jobs are affected

Early reports put the number at about 1,000 people, which would be roughly 5% of the company's estimated 20,000 staff in India. The final figure is not clear. Investing.com, which first reported that cuts had begun in India and California, said its sources expect the real number to be well below 1,000. Qualcomm has declined to comment and has not shared a headcount.

The first round is reported to focus on senior engineers and employees who have been with the company for many years. According to IANS, wireless engineering teams such as RF, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GNSS could be affected. Cuts may later reach Qualcomm's centres in Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi-NCR, but this has not been confirmed.

Why Qualcomm is cutting jobs

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon told employees on 20 October that the company would make "performance-focused" workforce reductions after its yearly performance review. The cuts come as demand for smartphone chips weakens: the company's handset revenue fell 26% in its latest quarter, as reported by Investing.com. Qualcomm is moving more of its focus to cars, AI, connected devices and data-centre chips.

Globally, Qualcomm had about 57,000 employees as of September 2026. It is also expected to file layoff notices in California.

What about severance?

Qualcomm has not published any severance terms. Posts on social media from people who say they were laid off mention three months' pay plus extra pay linked to years of service, and an additional month for signing quickly. Treat these as unconfirmed until the company or affected staff confirm them.

What this means for you

If you are affected, read your exit papers carefully before signing, even if there is a deadline. Check your notice pay, leave encashment, gratuity, PF transfer and health cover.
Update your profile now. Experience in RF, wireless, embedded and chip design is in demand at semiconductor companies and global capability centres in Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
Freshers: this does not mean semiconductor jobs are drying up. Other chip companies are still hiring in India. Focus on strong basics in C, embedded systems and digital design.
Look for openings on official career pages only: see IT jobs in Bengaluru, IT jobs in Hyderabad and software engineer jobs across India.

This is the second big tech layoff in India this month, after ServiceNow's job cuts.

Sources: The Week, 11 Nov 2026 · Business Today, 11 Nov 2026 · India TV, 11 Nov 2026 · Investing.com via Yahoo Finance, 10 Nov 2026