Can my employer make me sign a non-compete agreement preventing me from joining a competitor?

Indian courts have generally taken the view that a restriction on your ability to work for a competitor after your employment ends amounts to a restraint of trade, and such post-employment restraints are typically not enforced, since Indian contract law treats agreements restraining a person from exercising a lawful profession or trade with considerable scepticism, particularly once the employment relationship has actually ended.

This is different from restrictions that apply during your employment (such as not working for a competitor while still employed by your current company, or genuine confidentiality/non-solicitation obligations), which courts are generally much more willing to enforce, since they don't restrict your ability to earn a livelihood once you've left.

While you may still be asked to sign such a clause, and it can create some practical pressure or uncertainty, its actual legal enforceability against you after you leave the company remains genuinely limited under prevailing Indian law. If you're facing pressure or a specific threat based on such a clause after leaving a job, it would be worth getting a lawyer's view on your specific situation and the exact wording of what you signed.