Tech giant cuts thousands of jobs across Indian operations as the company pivots toward artificial intelligence and cloud computing solutions.
Oracle Corporation has laid off approximately 3,000 employees in India, representing 10% of its local workforce, as the enterprise software giant restructures operations to accelerate investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.
The layoffs, which have particularly impacted teams in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Noida, and Kolkata, come as Oracle pivots resources toward AI development following a massive $30 billion annual deal with OpenAI to provide 4.5 gigawatts of data center capacity.
Strategic Shift Toward AI Infrastructure
According to Data Centre Dynamics, which first reported the layoffs, the cuts primarily affected Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) units, with employees in software development, cloud services, and customer support bearing the brunt of the restructuring. Many employees described the move as abrupt, with limited information about severance packages or redeployment options, according to India Today.
Oracle has termed the layoffs a "restructuring exercise," aligning with its strategic partnership with OpenAI announced in July. The agreement, part of the broader $500 billion Stargate project, will see Oracle develop additional data center capacity capable of running over 2 million AI chips across the United States.
Global Scope of Restructuring
The Indian layoffs are part of a broader global workforce reduction that has also affected Oracle operations in the United States, Canada, Israel, and Mexico. In the U.S., Oracle has eliminated:
- 150 positions in the Seattle area, primarily in cloud infrastructure units
- 188 jobs in California's Bay Area, including 143 at its former Redwood City headquarters and 45 in Pleasanton
The affected groups within Oracle's cloud business include the Enterprise Engineering division of OCI, the Fusion ERP software team, data center operations staff, project managers overseeing AI and machine learning work, and employees working directly on OCI's artificial intelligence projects.
Industry observers have linked the timing of the layoffs to shifting U.S. policy priorities under President Donald Trump's administration, with renewed focus on curbing offshoring and reducing reliance on H-1B visas. The layoffs occurred shortly after Oracle CEO Larry Ellison met with President Trump at the White House on August 7, with discussions reportedly focusing on domestic hiring, national data security, and tech partnerships.
Paradoxical Hiring Patterns
Despite the widespread layoffs, Oracle continues selective hiring in certain locations. The company has been expanding operations in Virginia while simultaneously reducing workforce in other regions. This pattern reflects the balancing act facing major tech companies: scaling up AI infrastructure at record speed while controlling costs associated with massive hardware investments.
For the thousands of Indian employees affected, the abrupt layoffs highlight the vulnerability of tech workers in a rapidly evolving industry where AI capabilities increasingly determine corporate strategy.
The restructuring, while painful for those affected, reflects Oracle's determination to remain competitive in the AI-driven future of enterprise computing, even as it raises questions about the sustainability of traditional IT employment models in emerging markets.
