The India Cyber Security Skilling Landscape Report 2025-2026 provides a structured assessment of the country's evolving cybersecurity workforce, focusing on the critical gap between rapid digital transformation and current workforce readiness. It examines how the adoption of complex technologies, such as cloud-native platforms, AI-driven automation, and interconnected operational technology (OT), is fundamentally reshaping security from traditional perimeter defense into specialized, architecture-driven engineering roles.

Based on survey data from both enterprises and service providers, the study analyzes shifting demand patterns, widening capability gaps in hands-on and cross-domain skills, and persistent hiring and retention challenges across the ecosystem. Ultimately, the report highlights how AI and emerging technologies are intensifying these workforce constraints and offers actionable recommendations for industry, academia, and policymakers to build a resilient, execution-ready cyber security talent pipeline.

Download Report
pdf-iconIndian Cyber Security Skilling Landscape 2025-2026

Key Findings

Talent Availability and Hiring Struggles

 
 

73% of enterprises and 68% of providers report a limited availability of skilled cybersecurity candidates.

 

84% of organizations report that it takes between 1 to 6 months to fill cybersecurity roles:

  • 44% take 1–3 months
  • 40% take 3–6 months
  • Only 3% of organizations report successfully filling cybersecurity roles in less than one month.

Capability and Hands-On Skill Gaps

 
 

63% of enterprises and 59% of providers report limited hands-on practical skills among job candidates.

 

53% of enterprises and 66% of providers report a lack of hands-on technical capability within their current teams.

 

58% of enterprises and 60% of providers lack professionals with cross-domain capability, reflecting difficulty in finding talent that can integrate cloud, applications, and identity systems.

 

45% of enterprises report lack of hands-on lab environments for employees to systematically build practical skills.

The AI and Emerging Technology Impact

 
 

83% of organizations identify AI and GenAI security skills as a critical requirement.

 

78% of organizations report high demand specifically for AI Security Engineers.

 

73% of cyber security providers report growing client demand for AI and GenAI security services.

 

62% of surveyed enterprises report running active AI and GenAI projects within their digital environments, thereby expanding the attack surface.

 

57% of providers and 48% of enterprises report difficulty recruiting AI/ML security specialists, making it the most constrained talent domain in the market.

Specific Roles That Are Hardest to Hire

 
 

49% of providers and 40% of enterprises report difficulty in hiring Security Architects.

 

41% of providers and 23% of enterprises report difficulty hiring OT/ICS (Operational Technology / Industrial Control Systems) security specialists.

 

35% of organizations report significant difficulty recruiting professionals capable of conducting advanced threat intelligence.

 

30% of providers and 32% of enterprises report difficulty recruiting specialists in advanced cryptography and post-quantum security.

Attrition and Retention

 
 

70% of providers and 42% of enterprises report losing talent primarily because employees move to other organizations for higher salaries.

 

32% of providers and 8% of enterprises identify insufficient upskilling opportunities as a driver of talent attrition.