The 2026 CISO Report from Cybersecurity Ventures in partnership with Sophos points out a structural imbalance in cybersecurity today, with 35,000 CISOs supporting hundreds of millions of businesses globally, which is not sustainable.
Global cybercrime Damage costs are projected to reach $12.2 trillion USD annually by 2031, while ransomware alone could cost $275 billion, underscoring the scale of the threat landscape, according to Cybersecurity Ventures.
“For organisations in India and globally, this means cybersecurity leadership must evolve beyond traditional models. To bridge the leadership and skills gap to strengthen resilience, businesses need to look at scalable approaches, leveraging AI, managed services, and integrated platforms,” said Sunil Sharma, Managing Director and Vice President – Sales for India at Sophos.
India already allocates approximately 24 percent of IT budgets to cybersecurity, making it one of the highest globally, reports the Enterprise Times. While this positions the country at the forefront of digital growth, it also highlights its increasing exposure to cyber risks.
With rising attack surfaces, limited skilled talent, and increasing dependence on digital infrastructure, Indian organisations must accelerate investments in cyber leadership, AI-driven security, and managed services models.
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