City Watch: Exploring the Employment Growth in Guwahati

India’s employment landscape is evolving rapidly, with new employment hotspots emerging beyond traditional metropolitan hubs. Among these, Guwahati — often regarded as the “Gateway to the Northeast” — has become a leading employment hotspot. The city’s expanding sectors, including transport and logistics, manufacturing, information technology, healthcare, and tourism, are driving this transformation.

Government initiatives such as Advantage Assam 2.0, coupled with rising investments from domestic and global players, have catalysed industrial diversification and accelerated job creation across Guwahati. 

This surge in employment opportunities in Guwahati offers mutual benefits: job seekers gain access to a wide array of career options aligned with their aspirations, while employers benefit from a skilled and cost-efficient talent pool. 

Growth by Sectors

Transport and Logistics

The transport and logistics sector in Guwahati is expanding rapidly, supported by strong multimodal connectivity and strategic government policies. The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport handled approximately 26,606 tonnes of goods between April 2024 and March 2025, reflecting a growing demand for air cargo services in the region.

Inland water transport (IWT) has also emerged as a major growth driver, with cargo movement via waterways reaching around 133 million tonnes in FY 2023–24, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22%. The Brahmaputra River (National Waterway-2), with Pandu Port in Guwahati as a key terminal, plays a pivotal role in enhancing regional cargo connectivity.

Rail logistics is witnessing a parallel boom, supported by the introduction of new parcel and cargo trains that use Guwahati as a terminal to strengthen trade links with northeastern India. To meet the rising demand for freight movement — particularly for commodities such as tea, coal, cement, and food grains — leading national logistics players, including Allcargo/Avvashya CCI and Mahindra Logistics are developing Grade-A warehousing and distribution facilities spanning multiple lakh square feet in and around Guwahati.

Policy support has been instrumental in sustaining the growth of the logistics sector. Initiatives such as the Assam Logistics and Warehousing Policy 2022 and the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) Transport Master Plan are facilitating the creation of multimodal hubs and enabling land allotments for Container Freight Stations (CFS) and Inland Container Depots (ICD).

Manufacturing

The manufacturing sector in Assam has shown steady growth in recent years. By 2022, the state had approximately 8,138 registered factories, marking a 4.47% increase from 2021. The sector contributed 29.59% to Assam’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in FY 2022–23, with Guwahati serving as a key industrial hub in this growth. 

Several factors are responsible for this expansion. Industries investing ₹100 crore or more and creating over 200 jobs are eligible for customised policy support, including capital subsidies, SGST reimbursements, and production-linked incentives. Guwahati’s abundant forest and biomass resources also support the development of food processing, bamboo, and cane-based manufacturing industries. Moreover, the city’s strategic location enhances connectivity to regional markets, facilitating efficient logistics for manufactured goods.

A major boost is expected from Tata Sons’ proposed ₹30,000-crore investment to establish an electronics and mobile manufacturing unit in Assam, which is projected to generate substantial employment opportunities.

Further, the state government’s flagship initiative — “Advantage Assam 2.0” — aims to position Assam as a manufacturing hub by promoting green energy production, technological investments, and the growth of aerospace and defence manufacturing.

Information Technology (IT)

The information technology sector in Guwahati is gaining strong momentum, supported by robust infrastructure investments and the availability of a skilled local workforce. The Software Technology Parks of India (STPI)–Guwahati and its sub-centres collectively recorded software exports worth ₹120.77 crore in FY 2022–23, reflecting steady commercial growth in the region.

A key infrastructure project — the 100-acre IT Park at Bangara, currently under construction with an estimated cost of ₹989 crore, is expected to generate around 4,000 employment opportunities. In parallel, a vibrant startup ecosystem is developing, with new ventures emerging across software services, product development, and digital solutions, signalling the city’s growing role in Northeast India’s digital economy.

Further strengthening this ecosystem, the Government of India has announced plans to establish four hyperscale data centres in Assam, anticipated to be among the largest in Asia, while the state government has earmarked approximately ₹400 crore to enhance IT and telecom infrastructure. 

Healthcare

Guwahati has emerged as a major healthcare hub in Northeast India, driven by significant public and private sector investments. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Guwahati, inaugurated in 2023, received an investment of approximately ₹1,127 crore to expand medical facilities and strengthen healthcare infrastructure in the region.

Leading private healthcare providers are also expanding their footprint in the city. Medanta has announced plans to establish a super-speciality hospital with around 400 beds, while Peerless Hospitals opened a 100-bed medical care unit in July 2025, with an expansion plan to 300 beds by 2026.

Guwahati is also witnessing a rise in medical tourism, with patient inflow increasing from 5,000 in 2020 to nearly 15,000 in 2024, reflecting the city’s growing reputation for quality healthcare services. Additionally, a medical hospitality complex worth ₹800 crore is under development at Sarusajai, designed to provide accommodation and support facilities for visiting patients and families. 

Tourism

Tourism continues to be a vital driver of Guwahati’s economy. Between 2021 and 2024, Assam recorded approximately 2.43 crore tourist inflows, with Guwahati contributing a substantial share as the state’s primary travel gateway. The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport handled around 6.5 million passengers in FY 2024–25, highlighting the city’s role as a transit hub for the Northeast.

Guwahati’s appeal lies in its diverse tourism offerings — from cultural and spiritual destinations such as the Kamakhya Temple, to eco-tourism and wildlife attractions like Kaziranga National Park, and river-cruise experiences along the Brahmaputra River. 

The hospitality sector is also expanding rapidly, with branded hotel supply across the Northeastern states expected to double by 2030, and Guwahati accounting for a significant share of upcoming projects.  

In-Demand Job Roles by Sectors in Guwahati

The demand for skilled professionals in Guwahati reflects the city’s diverse and expanding industrial base. As of October 2025, according to Naukri.com, there were about 935 total job vacancies found across transport & logistics, manufacturing, IT, healthcare and tourism. Transport & logistics had the largest share of job openings (27.5%), while manufacturing had the least share (6.2%).    

Demand Within Sectors

In the transport and logistics sector, there were approximately 257 active job openings. Among these, sales executives accounted for the majority (61%) of vacancies, followed by warehouse managers (22%) and operations managers (10%). In contrast, roles such as logistics managers (3%) and delivery executives (5%) represented a smaller share of available vacancies. 

The tourism sector recorded around 245 job openings during the same period. Area sales managers dominated hiring demand, comprising 67% of total vacancies, followed by video editors (14%). Other roles, including tour guides (2%), travel consultants (2%), front office executives (4%), social media executives (5%), and admin executives (6%), saw comparatively very little demand.

Within the IT industry, approximately 206 positions were available. The most sought-after role was customer support engineer, representing 72% of openings, followed by project managers (14%) and full-stack developers (11%). Network engineers accounted for the smallest share, at 3%.

In the healthcare sector, there were around 169 openings, with medical doctors occupying the largest proportion (77%), followed by nurses (15%). Meanwhile, pharmacists (7%) and laboratory technicians (2%) experienced limited demand.

The manufacturing sector had a relatively modest 58 job openings. The role of quality assurance executive accounted for the majority (84%), while production managers (9%) and production executives (7%) represented smaller segments of the total demand.

Note: These data are approximate and are sourced from Naukri.com 

Guwahati’s evolving employment landscape marks its rise as a major economic hub in Northeast India, driven by strong policy support, infrastructure development, and growing private investments. The city’s expanding sectors — from logistics and manufacturing to IT, healthcare, and tourism — are not only strengthening regional growth but also creating diverse opportunities for job seekers and employers. 

For job seekers, Guwahati offers a wide range of roles across industries, aligning with evolving career aspirations. For employers, the city provides access to a skilled yet cost-efficient talent pool. With initiatives such as Advantage Assam 2.0, Guwahati is poised to become a key driver of sustainable employment and economic transformation in the Northeastern India. 

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