India's Data Breach Costs Soar to Record Rs 25.5 Crore Amid AI-Driven Cyber Threats

The average cost of a data breach in India has reached a record high of Rs 25.5 crore in 2026, according to an IBM report.

This marks a significant increase from last year's figure of Rs 22 crore, with a rise of 15.9 per cent.

The report also found that the average number of records compromised per incident has increased, from 38,200 in 2025 to nearly 39,500 in 2026.

A notable trend observed by IBM is the growing role of artificial intelligence in cyberattacks, with 26 per cent of malicious data breaches in India being AI-generated.

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