India's Data Breach Costs Soar to Record High Amid AI-Driven Cyber Threats

The average cost of an organizational data breach in India has reached a record high of Rs.25.5 crore, according to IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report, 2026.

This represents a 15.9% increase from last year's levels of Rs.22 crore and the largest number of breached records on average at 39,500.

The report also found that phishing, including voice and SMS phishing, was the most common initial attack vector in India, while 68% of Indian organizations surveyed have limited or no use of AI and security automation.

Gaurav Agarwal, Vice President, Technology at IBM India & South Asia, stated that 'India's accelerating AI adoption is creating immense opportunities for innovation, but it is also enabling cyber threats to evolve rapidly.'