India's Data Breach Costs Hit Record High Amid Rising Cyber Threats

The cost of data breaches in India has hit an all-time high, according to a recent report by IBM. The average organizational cost of a data breach in India reached Rs 25.5 crore in 2026, marking a notable increase of sixteen percent from the previous year.

This significant rise in costs is accompanied by a widening scope of breaches, with an average of 39,500 records compromised in 2026, compared to 38,200 in 2025. The report highlights the importance of implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in security operations to mitigate these risks.

Gaurav Agarwal, vice president at IBM India and South Asia, emphasized that AI adoption is enabling cyber threats to evolve rapidly, and organizations must embed AI capabilities across their full security lifecycle to build resilience and a competitive advantage.