The SANS Institute, in partnership with the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), has launched India’s first comprehensive study to assess the country’s cybersecurity skilling landscape, as organisations grapple with rising cyber threats and rapid digital transformation. The final study is expected to be published in early 2026.
The study aims to identify key talent gaps, evaluate existing training and education frameworks, and develop a roadmap to strengthen India’s cybersecurity workforce. The initiative comes at a time when emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing are reshaping the threat environment and placing new demands on cyber professionals.
The study will analyse how well academic curricula and current training infrastructure align with real-world industry requirements. It will also focus on high-demand and specialised roles such as product engineering, threat intelligence, malware reverse engineering, digital forensics and incident response—areas that stakeholders say are often underrepresented in conventional cybersecurity programmes. In addition, the research will factor in regulatory developments, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, and the rise in cyberattacks and financial fraud across India.
“India’s position as a global technology and cybersecurity leader depends on the strength of its cyber talent,” said Vinayak Godse, CEO of DSCI. He noted that the study marks a first step towards understanding not just the scale of talent needs, but also the quality, specialisation and real-world readiness of cybersecurity skills in the country.
Atul Kumar, Director at DSCI, said the findings would help address the persistent gap between academic output and industry demand. He added that the study is expected to offer actionable insights to better align education, policy and workforce development efforts.
SANS Institute will contribute global expertise and data-driven methodologies to the initiative, with the final report to be shared with stakeholders across government, industry and academia. Despite India’s growing role as a global hub for cybersecurity services—including R&D centres, security operations centres and product development teams—the sector continues to face a mismatch between the supply of trained professionals and industry needs.
“The cybersecurity landscape is advancing at a pace that traditional education models alone can no longer match,” said Suresh Mustapha, Managing Director, SANS Institute – Asia Pacific. He said the collaboration with DSCI is intended to drive targeted skilling interventions that prepare India’s workforce for increasingly complex threat environments.
Arindam Roy, Country Director – South Asia at SANS, said the initiative reflects the organisation’s commitment to strengthening India’s digital resilience and preparing cyber professionals for future threats.
