A significant supply-demand imbalance is currently plaguing India’s cybersecurity industry, with a talent gap estimated to be as high as 30–50% for high-demand specializations such as cloud security, security architecture, and zero trust frameworks. The number of active job openings across IT firms, Global Capability Centers (GCCs), and other enterprises has exploded, reaching 25,000 to 30,000—a nearly 30% increase from 2023 and more than double the volume seen in 2021, according to data from Teamlease Digital. As the need for digital protection scales across all business sectors, not just traditional IT, companies are increasingly struggling to fill these critical positions.
This supply crunch is being sharply exacerbated by the rapid integration of artificial intelligence across various industries. As Neeti Sharma, chief executive of Teamlease Digital, notes, companies from tech services to retail and quick commerce are heavily deploying Agentic AI and GenAI, which involves a massive consumption of data. The expansion of GCCs further intensifies this complexity. This technological pivot demands experienced cybersecurity professionals, a demographic currently in short supply. The lack of talent is particularly pronounced at the mid-senior level for roles such as security architects, cloud security engineers, incident response experts, and specialists in AI-linked security, where the gap between available talent and demand can soar to 45% to 60% for specific skills.
While staffing entry-level roles in security operations centers is generally easier, the contemporary market requires professionals with hands-on, cross-functional expertise—a skillset that remains scarce. Finding candidates for roles like penetration testers, who conduct authorized simulated cyberattacks to expose system vulnerabilities, is proving time-consuming. Murali Rao, partner and leader of cybersecurity consulting at EY India, points out that while the market may contain a sufficient number of certified ethical hackers (CEH), this certification doesn’t automatically translate into an effective pen tester, highlighting a deeper issue with practical proficiency.
Beyond technical proficiency, a survey of 250 cybersecurity professionals in India by ISACA revealed a considerable deficit in soft skills, with nearly 56% of respondents lacking crucial attributes like critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. According to Rao, effective security work is fundamentally about having an inherent curiosity and an attitude geared towards solving complex problems, traits that cannot simply be taught. This underscores that the talent problem isn’t just a matter of technical certifications but also of fundamental aptitude and mindset.
The intense competition for this limited pool of skilled talent is directly reflected in current pay scales. Entry-level Security Operation Center (SOC) analysts typically earn between ₹4–8 lakh annually, but mid-senior professionals in highly specialized fields like cloud security and application security command salaries ranging from ₹12–35 lakh. Furthermore, the premiums for highly sought-after cybersecurity roles—particularly those focused on Zero Trust architecture, incident response, and AI/ML security—are estimated to be 30% to 60% higher than those for comparable general engineering positions, showcasing the premium companies are willing to pay for rare and essential expertise.
Reference:
