IBM 2026 report: India average breach costs ₹25.5cr, 39,500 records
Data breaches are getting pricier in India: IBM's 2026 report says the average cost has hit ₹25.5 crore, up 16% from last year.
Plus, more records are being exposed per breach, now averaging about 39,500.
AI adopters pay ₹21.3cr vs ₹31.6cr
Turns out, using artificial intelligence (AI) for cybersecurity really pays off. Companies with strong AI adoption spent way less on breaches (₹21.3 crore on average), while those without AI shelled out a hefty ₹31.6 crore.
Even partial AI use helped cut costs to ₹23.1 crore per breach.
Gaurav Agarwal, vice president, technology, IBM India and South Asia, summed it up: "AI with agentic capabilities must be embedded across the full security lifecycle, from detection and analysis to prioritization and remediation. That should be the strategic imperative for businesses to build resilience and a competitive advantage."