Qualcomm’s annual report, filed with the U.S. SEC on November 4, put its global workforce at about 57,000 as of September 27, 2026
| Photo Credit: Reuters
More than 1,000 jobs could be at risk in India as Qualcomm undertakes a global workforce reduction, although the U.S. chipmaker has not disclosed the number of positions likely to be eliminated in the country.
In an internal memo to employees on October 19, reviewed by Reuters, CEO Cristiano Amon described the exercise as a “performance-focused reduction” following the company’s annual employee reviews. Notifications to affected employees were expected to begin in November.
Mr. Amon said the move was intended to build “a stronger performance culture” and address situations where the company “has consistently fallen short of expectations”. Business priorities, organisational requirements and the skills and expertise required would determine the positions to be eliminated, he added.
Qualcomm did not respond to The Hindu’s queries on whether layoffs had commenced in India, the number of employees likely to be affected, the locations and business divisions involved, or the severance terms.
Pareekh Jain, CEO of EIIRTrend and an IT industry analyst, estimated that around 1,000 Indian employees could be affected. He said the cuts appeared to span organisational levels and were not necessarily performance-based, adding that the company was seeking to reduce global headcount and align costs with business performance.
Qualcomm’s annual report, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, put its global workforce at approximately 57,000 as of September 27, 2026. India, alongside the U.S. and China, is a key location for its sales, administrative and research and development operations.
Its 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report showed that India accounted for 36% of its global workforce of 50,257, translating into approximately 18,100 employees. The company had reported 15,404 employees in India, including temporary workers, in 2021. Its 2025 report put global headcount at 52,491 but did not provide a country-wise breakdown.
The workforce reduction comes against a weakening financial backdrop. Qualcomm reported fiscal 2026 revenue of $43.12 billion, down 3% year-on-year. Fourth-quarter revenue fell 8% to $10.32 billion, while non-GAAP net income declined 15% to $11.31 billion. The increase in GAAP net income to $13.63 billion was largely driven by a substantial tax benefit.
Meanwhile, posts on Reddit’s r/qualcomm community have described employee separations in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, including notifications on November 11. Some users claimed that employees with good performance ratings were also affected. Discussions also referred to severance packages and cuts in specialised engineering teams. These anonymous accounts could not be independently verified.
Qualcomm has not confirmed the India layoffs or the estimated number of employees affected.
Published – November 11, 2026 05:55 pm IST
