A July 9, 2026, article on The Economic Times reports that India needs 1 million AI engineers, but there are only enough for 1 in 10 jobs. By end of 2026, demand will outstrip supply by 10 to 1, with approximately 900,000 jobs unfilled. The article lists the top AI roles and their salary ranges: Machine Learning Engineers (₹20–55 LPA), Prompt Engineers (₹15–40 LPA), NLP Engineers (₹18–45 LPA), MLOps Engineers (₹22–55 LPA), AI Product Managers (₹20–50 LPA), and Computer Vision Engineers (₹18–45 LPA). Key skills include Python, PyTorch/TensorFlow for ML, and LangChain and OpenAI API for prompt engineering. MLOps commands a premium because few engineers know Docker, Kubernetes, and ML pipelines together. Top CV engineering employers include Bosch, Tata Elxsi, Mahindra, and deep-tech startups. The article states a time to job-ready of 6 months, with a top role salary range of ₹25–60 LPA.