India Emerging as a Global Cybersecurity Hub
On October 30, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) reported that India is emerging as a global cybersecurity hub, with over 400 active startups. The cybersecurity industry in India has crossed $20 billion. India leads globally in digital payments, but cybercrime is also rising, causing losses of ₹23,000 crore in 2024.
According to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), an agency under MeitY, India is becoming a global center for cybersecurity. CERT claims that more than 400 startups are operating in the cybersecurity sector in India, and the number of skilled cybersecurity professionals has exceeded 650,000.
The cybersecurity market in India has grown beyond $20 billion. The number of startups and skilled professionals in cybersecurity continues to increase, with artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly used for cyber protection. Several technology institutions in India are conducting research on hundreds of cybersecurity projects.
In the current financial year 2025-26, a budget allocation of ₹782 crore has been made for cybersecurity. CERT believes India can also support global cybersecurity efforts. The World Economic Forum (WEF) has appreciated India's efforts in cybersecurity, particularly in protecting cooperative banks from cyber attacks.
India Leads in Digital Payments
Experts say that India leads the world in digital payments, with digital infrastructure surpassing many developed nations. However, digital crimes are also increasing rapidly. According to DataLids, cybercrime caused losses of ₹23,000 crore in 2024, ten times higher than in 2023. Around 2 million cybercrime complaints were registered in 2024.
CERT predicts that cybercrime will continue to rise. In 2024, India witnessed 147 ransomware incidents. Experts note that AI helps detect malware and other bugs in real time. CERT is collaborating with France’s National Cybersecurity Agency to further AI-based cybersecurity initiatives.