Indian companies are pouring money into digital marketing and customer-engagement platforms, yet many admit they lack the in-house skills to use them. Digital ad spend in India has hit record levels, roughly ₹49,000 crore in FY2025, and is projected to jump a further 15% to about ₹56,400 crore in FY2026. Brands are buying customer-data platforms, marketing clouds and AI-powered analytics tools to personalize campaigns and automate outreach. But surveys show the talent pipeline is not keeping pace. According to one industry study, roughly two-thirds of companies say they lack trained AI and ML specialists to leverage new marketing technology. An IBM study found just 26% of Indian CMOs believe they have the talent needed to meet their growth targets over the next two years. In practice, this means tools often sit under-utilized or are managed by outside agencies.
Key data points:
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Soaring budgets: Digital advertising, the proxy for MarTech spend, is growing around 20% year on year, reaching ₹56,400 crore in FY2026.
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Skills gap: About 66% of companies report a shortage of trained AI and ML talent. A marketing survey found 24% of marketers say their teams lack the skills to use existing MarTech investments.
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Talent mismatch: India is projected to need 1.2 million AI professionals by 2027, with a shortfall of over a million skilled people. In marketing specifically, only 26% of CMOs feel “talent-ready” for AI-driven growth.
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Attrition and pay: High demand is driving turnover and pay hikes. AI and data roles now see 30–50% salary jumps on offers, with attrition climbing into the 25–35% range. Marketers who have mastered AI tools commanded 20–30% higher pay in 2025.
This mismatch is straining businesses across sectors. Consumer tech and retail giants may have big data platforms, but few analysts or technologists to crunch the numbers. FMCG companies like Hindustan Unilever and ITC are investing in CRM and personalization engines, yet even internal marketing managers admit they are beginners at integrating these systems with customer data. Banks and insurers have deployed sophisticated analytics for credit and risk, but still hunt for people who can bridge finance and technology. D2C and e-commerce start-ups, from Nykaa to Lenskart, rely on marketing clouds and programmatic ads, often tapping external agencies or consultants because they cannot find enough in-house talent.
Many executives describe the situation as a war for talent. “Employers are willing to pay premium salaries even for entry-level roles,” says Varun Satia, founder of digital marketing academy Kraftshala. He notes companies want fresh hires who can think critically and adapt to emerging technologies, not just paper qualifications. This is evident in demand for new hybrid roles. Recruiters observe that marketing is now a digital arena where brands must compete for audiences, pushing adtech and martech skills into high demand. Roles like developer marketer, automation specialist, marketing technologist and program manager are surging. Job requirements increasingly list mastery of marketing-automation and CRM platforms, data analytics, AI-driven personalization, SEO, content management, email automation, customer experience management and mobile marketing. The expectation is a blend of technical and creative expertise.
The talent crunch has its costs. A quarter of marketers admit their teams lack the skills to run the very tools they have purchased. As a result, 70% of organizations outsource at least part of their campaigns. Many businesses report that new MarTech implementations under-deliver. Tools either gather dust or require expensive outside help. Recruiters say the availability of specialized talent is already shaping hiring decisions. These roles involve navigating complex data landscapes to optimize marketing efforts, forcing companies to choose between upskilling staff or bringing in external experts.
On the supply side, educators and EdTech companies are scrambling to fill the gap. There has been a boom in AI and digital marketing courses, driven by the realization that most of the workforce will need stronger digital skills in the coming years. Top institutes such as MICA and IIT Roorkee have launched certificate programs in MarTech and AI-driven marketing. Online platforms, from Coursera and Udemy to Indian players like Simplilearn, upGrad and the Indian School of Business, advertise courses in marketing automation, data analytics and AI for marketers. Professionals increasingly acknowledge the diminishing relevance of their existing knowledge and are investing in continuous learning.
The push for training is echoed by companies themselves. Executives argue that AI will create more technology-focused jobs rather than eliminate them, underscoring the need for reskilling. Some firms are redeploying staff from traditional roles into analytics or digital teams. Government initiatives such as Digital India and Skill India aim to broaden technology literacy. Recruitment platforms report that employers are scaling back entry-level hiring and instead demanding portfolios, certifications or project experience for digital roles, reflecting more cautious and skill-focused hiring.
Putting Humpty Dumpty together reveals a complex picture. Companies recognize that technology is now central to marketing strategy, but there are simply not enough people to pilot the jets. In 2025 alone, Indian companies created 110,000 new AI and data-related tech jobs, yet many roles remained unfilled. Salary inflation and churn have risen sharply in this niche. Marketing data scientists, AI marketers and growth hackers often switch jobs for 20–40% pay hikes. As one industry leader put it, India’s marketing talent shortage is not just an HR problem but a business risk. Some CMOs privately admit their teams are only halfway through learning the tools they have already bought.
Beyond statistics, the pain is felt in boardrooms and agencies. Reliance Retail has invested heavily in customer analytics, yet senior executives note that even massive resources cannot substitute for people who understand the data. FMCG giants like ITC may build sophisticated feedback loops between social media and sales data, but credit much of the execution to specialist consultants rather than in-house teams. Even technology companies face challenges. Several Indian start-ups admit they must recruit or train digital marketers abroad to run large marketing-cloud deployments. D2C brands like Mamaearth and Urban Company have scaled rapidly through automation, yet report vicious hiring battles for analytics managers. Many have responded by strengthening internal training, teaching content managers basic SQL so they can manage MarTech dashboards themselves.
Analysts warn that without urgent action, some marketing technology investments could end up as costly shelfware. Companies are starting to track usage metrics of their platforms more closely. Agencies say firms now buy software subscriptions only on the condition that internal staff complete certified training. Education reforms also emphasize digital fluency, aiming to align university curricula with industry needs.
India’s marketing industry is at an inflection point. The tools and budgets for data-driven, AI-powered marketing are in place, but the human capital to use them fully is lagging. Businesses increasingly look for developers who can code for marketing and marketers who can work with code. Bridging that divide will require partnerships between companies, universities, upskilling firms and agencies to co-create talent pipelines. Only then can India ensure that its MarTech revolution does not stall for want of people who know how to make the technology work.
Disclaimer: All data points and statistics are attributed to published research studies and verified market research. All quotes are either sourced directly or attributed to public statements.
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