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Salary Negotiation Scripts for India (2026) — Short, Specific, Non-Cringe
Three paragraphs you can send. No “I feel I deserve.” No fake competing offer.
Steal these. Replace the brackets. Do not add adjectives.
Appraisal
I looked at current bands for [role] in [city] at [X] years. Credible ranges sit around ₹[P50]–₹[P75] LPA. I am at ₹[current]. This year I [metric 1] and [metric 2]. I am asking for a revision to ₹[ask] effective this cycle.
Offer
Thank you — I want to join this team. For this role in [city], I am seeing ₹[ask] as closer to market than ₹[offer]. Is there flexibility on base, or on a joining bonus / earlier review if base is fixed?
Counter (only if true)
I have a formal offer at ₹[X] LPA. I would rather stay. If we can close the gap toward ₹[ask], I will decline the other process this week.
Rules I will not break: one number, not a range; no percentage theatre; no lying about an offer. In 2026, a live process is still worth more than a Slack essay.