IBM Salaries in India (Updated 2025)

Likes

Salary is decent in India Software Labs, equivalent of Tier 2 PBCs. RSUs are also given to employees who perform well. IBM has turned its tech suite around after the RedHat acquisition, even for z/mainframe products. Newer tech stack is being implemented at breakneck pace, enough to overwhelm senior developers as well. Lots of opportunities to learn new stuff, including agentic AI. Job security is better than other PBCs for employees who perform well, but expect PIPs.

Dislikes

You will get stuck in one job band for a very long time. Promotions from 7B to 8 are very hard in particular. Also, IBM India is the only entity among all IBM entities to have A and B subbands till job level 7 (tech lead), effectively prohibiting your growth to a decision-making position for a longer time. Indian management, especially managers who have moved laterally from IBM Consulting, is extremely orthodox, and technically inept. If your product delivery is controlled by an onshore lab (U.S., U.K., Germany, etc), expect the Indian management to have no understanding of what it is that you are doing on a day-to-day basis, and to be at loggerheads with the onshore managers. You, an ordinary employee, will no doubt be caught in the crossfire.

Likes

good salary, good learning platform like udemy business and some internal portals

Dislikes

Micromanagement, some managers and senior architects are working since so long 15-20 years and they don't want any fresh and skilled person to stay they are in there comfort zone, worst reality is when i resigned no hr has connected with me even after raising a ticket manager has all the power.

Likes

Work life balance is good and good number of projects

Dislikes

Salary hike and promotions are big concerns here. Managers always brings your PMR ratio and will say that you are not eligible for hike. There is no HR interaction and everything should through PM. If your PMR is greater than 1, you'll never get a hike in your lifetime. So join the company with high package and never expect any hikes further.

Likes

1. IBM as a global brand and the culture truly reflects that 2. Opportunities to learn new cutting edge technology 3. Work life balance to some extent 4. Very process oriented company - so things will move slow.

Dislikes

... is a big company, may old timers are there at the same designation for years 2. Minimum to no salary hike (you can't bit the inflation) 3. Sometime you will need to deal with workplace politics