Titled India's FDE Opportunity, the report draws on inputs from 1,000 software engineers and 200 enterprise technology decision-makers across eight metropolitan cities and select Tier II cities. It highlights a growing gap between enterprise demand for FDEs and engineers' awareness of the skills and career pathways required to enter the field.
The report found that nearly 80% of multinational corporations (MNCs) are already planning to hire FDEs within the next 12 months. However, only 1% of surveyed engineers currently hold explicitly designated FDE positions.
More than 52% of engineers said they did not know how to become an FDE, citing unclear career pathways and a poorly defined understanding of the role.
Forward-deployed engineering is emerging as a specialised function that connects technology development with practical business requirements. FDEs work closely with customers to understand operational challenges and implement technology solutions, including artificial intelligence (AI), in real-world environments.
The findings highlight an opportunity for India to develop a specialised engineering career pathway while addressing skill gaps in applied AI, production deployment and customer-facing problem-solving.
The report points to a widening gap between the anticipated demand for FDEs and the availability of engineers with the necessary skills and awareness. Structured training and clearer career pathways could help engineers prepare for these roles as enterprises increasingly focus on implementing AI and other technologies in business operations.
