I recently cleared the final interview round for an embedded marketing role with a major client, but I would technically be employed by an agency. During the initial recruiter call, I mentioned my current salary of ₹1.15M/year, and they stated their maximum budget for the role was ₹1.2M/year, which they described as a hard cap. I later requested ₹1.5M, but they reiterated the ₹1.2M limit. After a six-week interview process, HR informed me that I’m likely their preferred candidate. Now, I’m contemplating whether to negotiate for a higher salary before accepting an offer, despite the hard cap they set. I’m torn between accepting the ₹1.2M, trying to negotiate again, or waiting for a written offer to discuss it then. I don’t want to jeopardize this opportunity, but I also don’t want to miss out on potential leverage.