How do Indian professionals usually land their first international offer?

The most common real paths, in rough order: internal transfer at a multinational after 2–4 years in India; direct applications to employers known to sponsor, backed by a strong, specific CV; study abroad followed by post-study work; and points-based immigration (like Canada's) where you land first and job hunt as a resident. Referrals matter enormously — cold applications alone rarely cross borders. Building a niche skill employers cannot easily find locally beats sending 500 generic applications.