If 40 is the new layoff age, is it also India's new retirement age?

If 40 is the new layoff age, is it also India's new retirement age?

India’s layoffs are creating a new danger zone: your 40s. As companies push out mid-career professionals, families face EMIs, education costs, and rising healthcare with no real safety net—turning “forty and fired” into a national crisis.

Is 40 the New Layoff Age in India? Mid-Career Crisis 2026

In India, a professional turning 40 was traditionally entering their “Golden Age”—a period of leadership, high earning, and stability. However, current market dynamics in 2026 have shifted. Industry experts warn that 40 is becoming a structural fault line, creating a 20-year gap where professionals are too “expensive” for mid-level roles but not senior enough for the C-suite. Also Read | Odisha Imposes Statewide Tobacco Ban; Centre Overhauls Tax…