84% Of Indian SMEs To Raise Cybersecurity Spending As Cyber Threats Intensify: TTBS-CMR

New Delhi, Sep 18 (KNN) As cyber threats become more sophisticated, 84 per cent of Indian SMEs plan to increase cybersecurity investments over the next 12-24 months, according to a study by Tata Tele Business Services (TTBS) and CyberMedia Research (CMR).

They added that limited monitoring, fragmented security tools and a shortage of skilled professionals continue to constrain their cyber readiness.

The SME Digital Insights 2026: Cybersecurity study found that 40 per cent of SMEs had experienced a cyber incident over the past two years, while only 28 per cent implemented structural cybersecurity improvements following an incident.

Only 12 per cent of SMEs continuously monitor their cybersecurity environments, highlighting a gap between rising investment intent and proactive security preparedness, reported Economic Times.

Fragmented Security Creates Visibility Gaps

The study found that nearly 35 per cent of SMEs operate multiple cybersecurity tools but have limited visibility into their overall risk exposure.

Meanwhile, 45 per cent identified a lack of cybersecurity expertise as their biggest challenge in implementing effective security measures.

Although 46 per cent of SMEs allocate less than 5 per cent of their IT budgets to cybersecurity, the study found that SMEs with stronger investment intent tend to have more established cybersecurity foundations.

Vishal Rally, Chief Revenue Officer, Tata Teleservices, said the findings indicate that cybersecurity is increasingly being viewed as a priority for business resilience, customer trust and digital growth.

Prabhu Ram, Vice President, Industry Research Group, CMR, said the gap between rising investment intent and cyber preparedness remains a key challenge, with many SMEs continuing to rely on fragmented deployments, periodic reviews and reactive remediation.

AI Emerges As Cybersecurity Tool

The study also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, with 35 per cent of SMEs viewing AI as an enabler for faster threat detection, automated monitoring and improved cyber resilience.

At the same time, 34 per cent expect AI-powered cyber threats to materially affect their businesses over the next 12-24 months.

The findings point towards greater adoption of integrated and continuously managed cybersecurity solutions as SMEs seek to strengthen resilience while expanding their digital operations.

(KNN Bureau)