India's Largest Corporates Are Maturing Fast in Their Defence Against AI-Powered Cyber Threats, Says Palo Alto Networks

India's largest corporates are demonstrably maturing in their ability to defend against AI-powered cyber threats, according to an assessment by Palo Alto Networks, one of the world's foremost cybersecurity companies. The finding marks a notable shift from previous years when Indian enterprises were frequently cited as lagging global peers in cybersecurity preparedness.

The improvement reflects sustained investment by large Indian companies in next-generation security infrastructure, including tools capable of detecting and responding to AI-generated attack patterns such as deepfake-enabled social engineering, automated vulnerability exploitation, and AI-crafted phishing campaigns. These threats have grown sharply in sophistication and frequency as generative AI tools have become more accessible to malicious actors.

Palo Alto's assessment covers India's largest corporate entities, suggesting the maturation is concentrated among well-resourced companies with dedicated security teams and budgets. Smaller enterprises and the mid-market, however, remain considerably more exposed — a gap that cybersecurity experts argue needs urgent policy attention given how deeply India's economy relies on its MSME sector.

The findings arrive in sharp relief against the backdrop of the Tata Electronics data breach confirmed in the same news cycle, a reminder that even as awareness and capability grow, determined attackers continue to find ways through. For India's corporate sector, the Palo Alto assessment is encouraging — but not a signal to ease up.

As AI becomes embedded in both offensive and defensive cybersecurity, India's ability to protect its largest companies will increasingly determine its attractiveness as a destination for global technology investment and sensitive manufacturing.