'We're Not Machines': Indian IT Worker Says Expected To Perform At Google-Level For ₹7 LPA Rant Goes Viral

(MENAFN- Live Mint) In a Reddit post that's quickly gaining traction, an Indian IT professional has voiced the frustrations of many in the country's tech sector. Shared under the title "Hey folks, if you're outsourcing work to India...", the post calls out what the author describes as the suffocating pressure placed on Indian software developers by international clients.

The post begins with a direct appeal:“If you're outsourcing work to India and feel like breathing down our necks every minute - take a breath. Please.” It continues by laying bare the economic and emotional toll of working in the outsourced tech industry."

“The average new IT grad here makes ₹7 LPA (~$8,000/year). Yet we're expected to perform at Google-level output, on that salary,” the user writes. They go on to describe a working environment defined by“time zones, endless meetings, last-minute deadlines” - a common reality for many in India's sprawling IT services industry.

The post concludes with a plea for“mutual respect and realistic expectations,” emphasising that Indian developers“care about the work” but are too often treated like machines.“Instead of constant pressure, let's build partnerships,” the post reads.“Let's meet in the middle with some empathy.”

Community Reactions: A Shared Struggle

The post evoked a flurry of reactions, prompting a wave of comments echoing similar sentiments.

One user wrote:“This is exactly why burnout is so high in Indian tech. People forget we're human.” Another added:“You're not just underpaid, you're underappreciated. Western clients think cheap labor means 24/7 labor.”

A few users pointed out the need for Indian companies to better negotiate timelines and push back against unreasonable demands.“It's not just the clients. Our own project managers often overpromise just to get contracts signed,” said one commenter.
A third user said:“It's always the Indian manager who makes the culture toxic in big MNC.”

Others defended the global clients, noting that pressure comes with any high-stakes project. Still, many agreed that empathy is missing in the current model.“Outsourcing shouldn't mean offloading stress without support,” one user remarked.

A Deeper Issue in Global Tech Culture

India is home to a massive IT and software services industry, with companies like TCS, Infosys, and Wipro handling operations for Fortune 500 clients across the world. While outsourcing has been a key economic driver, the industry's human cost is increasingly coming into focus.

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