How to Answer 'What Are Your Salary Expectations?' in India 2026

You cannot negotiate confidently without data. Four authoritative sources for Indian tech salary research in 2026. Levels.fyi India: the most trusted source for product company compensation (Google, Meta, Amazon, Flipkart, Razorpay, Swiggy, Zerodha etc.) with role and level-specific data including base, bonus, and ESOP. AmbitionBox: broader coverage including service IT companies (TCS, Infosys, HCL), Indian banks and NBFCs, and mid-size startups. Glassdoor India: global platform with India data, less granular than Levels.fyi but useful for companies not listed there. LinkedIn Salary: good for role-level benchmarks across industries. Reddit r/cscareerquestionsIN and r/IndiaFinance: community-sourced salary data that is often more candid than official platforms. Research steps: find your role title (SDE-1, SDE-2, Data Analyst, PM etc.) at your target company specifically. Find the same role at 3-4 peer companies of similar size. Note the range (10th-90th percentile) rather than the average. Identify whether ESOPs, signing bonus, or performance bonus are included in the numbers you are seeing. Cross-reference at least 2 sources before anchoring to any number.

For freshers, salary negotiation is harder because you have no 'current CTC' anchor and less information about your own market value. This is also an opportunity: you are not constrained by a previous number. What to say when asked salary expectations as a fresher: 'Based on my research on Levels.fyi and AmbitionBox for [role title] at companies of your size in Bengaluru, I am targeting between Rs X and Rs Y. I am flexible based on the full compensation package including ESOPs, learning opportunities, and growth trajectory. If the range works, I am very interested in moving forward.' Where to set the range: the bottom should be 10% above the market 25th percentile (not the median: you are negotiating from below, set a floor that still gives you room to grow). The top should be at or slightly above the 75th percentile (ambitious but credible). Example for a SDE fresher at a mid-tier product company in 2026: 'I am targeting Rs 18-24 LPA based on my research for SDE-1 roles in Bengaluru at companies of your scale.' If the campus placement package is fixed (as at many service companies): do not waste social capital trying to negotiate a fixed campus package. Focus energy on getting the best possible company within the package band, and negotiate when you move to your second job.

In India, HR often asks for your current CTC before making an offer. Three positions on how to handle this. Position 1 (share and redirect): 'My current CTC is Rs X. Based on my research for this role at your company and the scope of responsibility described, I am targeting Rs Y to Z.' This is the most common approach. It is honest, shares the data, but immediately redirects to a forward-looking target. Position 2 (share range only): 'I would prefer to keep the specifics confidential at this stage, but I can share that I am in the Rs X-Y range and targeting Rs A-B for this move.' Legally fine in most Indian states. Some HR will push back: hold the position once, then decide whether the relationship is worth protecting. Position 3 (decline and redirect): 'I am not comfortable sharing my current CTC but I am happy to tell you my target: Rs X-Y, which is based on market data for this role and level.' Most HR will accept this at product companies. Service companies may push harder. The most important rule: whatever you share about your current CTC, do not lie. Offer letters, salary slips, and Form 16 are used by HR for verification. A caught misrepresentation ends the process immediately and damages your professional reputation.

When an offer comes in below your target, most Indian candidates either accept silently or decline. Negotiation is a third option that works more often than candidates expect. Script for negotiating an offer: 'Thank you so much for the offer. I am very excited about the role and the team. Based on my research, the range for this level is Rs X-Y, and my target based on my current package and the scope here is Rs Z. Is there flexibility to get closer to Rs Z?' Key principles: express enthusiasm for the role before negotiating (you want to signal you are a buyer, not threatening to walk). Give a specific number (not 'more': 'Rs 2 lakhs higher'). Reference market data (not personal needs: 'my rent is high' is not a negotiating argument; 'the market range is X' is). If the base cannot move, ask about other components: signing bonus, first review timeline, ESOP grant size, or remote flexibility. What to do if they say the offer is final: 'I understand. Can I have 48 hours to think it over?' Most offers have more flexibility than 'final'. The 48-hour pause often results in a revised offer or a call to discuss components. Accepting with no negotiation is always fine if the offer meets your target: do not negotiate for the sake of it.