What Is Inc's Biggest Fear? PwC Report Reveals Insights

In a recent report, the multinational professional services firm, PwC India, found out that Indian executives rank cybersecurity as their top risk mitigation priority, followed by digital and technology risks, inflation and environmental risks.

The sample size for PwC India Digital Insights 2025 was 4,042 businesses, technology, and security executives across various regions, including 155 executives representing Indian businesses.

The report noted that 93% of the respondents were anticipating an increase in their cybersecurity budget for the next year, with 17% planning to raise their budgets by 15% or more, which is an increase of 1% from last year.

Additionally, 42% of Indian business leaders were seen to prioritise data protection and remediation amidst recent cyber breaches.

“By embracing advanced technologies, adhering to foundational cybersecurity principles, and allocating resources effectively, organisations need to stay committed to fortifying defences and safeguarding their future,” said Sivarama Krishnan, Partner and Leader, Cyber Security for PwC India.

The report further found out that cloud-related threats remain the foremost worry, cited by 55% of Indian executives as their most concerning cyber-risk, marking an increase of 3% from the previous year. However, 50% CFOs and security leaders feel under-prepared address these threats.

“Advances in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the increased adoption of cloud services have significantly expanded the attack surface for enterprises. This trend underscores the necessity for a flexible, enterprise-wide resilience strategy. Organisations must align their priorities and readiness at every level to safeguard security and ensure seamless business continuity,” said Manu Dwivedi, Partner and Leader for Cybersecurity and Risk Consulting GCC, PwC India.

This reinforces a shift towards advanced technological defences and the report highlights that Gen AI is at the helm of cyber investment priorities, with 87% of organisations having boosted their investments over the last 12 months.

As a result, 86% of organisations have increased their spending on AI governance as part of risk management strategies. Furthermore, 80% of the companies are confident in their ability to comply with AI regulations.