Cybersecurity as priority: Indian enterprises must prioritise preparedness

Cybersecurity now defines business resilience in India, as rising AI risks, insider threats and escalating attacks push firms to embed security into core strategy

Cybersecurity has emerged as the biggest risk enterprises face today. According to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry-EY Risk Survey 2026, 61 per cent of the business leaders surveyed identify cybersecurity as the primary factor shaping organisational performance. More than half the respondents expressed rising concern over data theft and fraud by insiders. Growing tension around artificial intelligence (AI) is another key finding. Nearly 59 per cent of the executives say that the slow adoption of emerging technologies such as AI is hurting operational effectiveness, yet 54 per cent believe that ethical and governance issues linked to AI are not being effectively managed. Cyber risks now directly threaten operations, revenue, and trust, making preparedness on this central to business continuity and stakeholder confidence. This also suggests that while companies recognise AI’s importance, they continue to struggle with governing its use responsibly and securely. 

These findings align with broader trends in India’s digital economy. The Economic Survey 2025-26 noted that rising digitisation, rapid Cloud adoption, and the growing use of data-intensive technologies had sharply increased demand for cybersecurity services such as threat detection, risk management, compliance, and managed security services. This growing demand has also fuelled the expansion of India’s cybersecurity industry. According to the Nasscom-Data Security Council of India, the country now has more than 400 cybersecurity-product companies, which together earned about $4.46 billion in revenue in 2025. At national level, India’s cyber preparedness has improved steadily. On the Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), India achieved a Tier-I ranking with a score of 98.49, placing it among the world’s most cyber-prepared countries. 

However, India’s threat landscape is intense. The India Cyber Threat Report 2026, released by Seqrite, a cybersecurity company, reveals over 265 million cyberattacks were recorded between October 2024 and September 2025, affecting sectors like education, health care, and manufacturing. Meanwhile, a report by Check Point Software Technologies notes that Indian organisations face over 2,000 cyberattacks per week, far above global averages, highlighting how rapidly digital threats are rising. This calls for closer coordination between industry, regulators, and technology providers. Clearer cyber norms, faster information-sharing on threats, and a stronger enforcement of data-protection standards can help reduce systemic risks and prevent large-scale disruption. 

As cyber risks increasingly spill across supply chains and borders, building resilience will require collective action. Hence, enterprises need to adopt robust risk-management frameworks, strengthen incident-response capabilities, invest in AI-aware security measures, and foster shared threat intelligence across sectors. Upskilling the workforce and building strong governance practices around data and AI will be crucial, especially for smaller firms. As India gears up for the “Global AI Impact Summit”, it is time to reinforce the message that cybersecurity must be embedded in strategy, culture, and operations. Only then can businesses harness the full potential of digital transformation while safeguarding their future.