The gap between demand and supply for cybersecurity professionals in India is at nearly 30% with approximately 20,000 and 25,000 unfilled positions in cyber security profiles, reports The Economic Times, citing staffing firms including Randstad India, NLB Services and TeamLease. The number of unfulfilled positions is expected to expand as telecom companies push 5G roll out, and companies continue their digital transformation journeys. Telecom companies will also have to fight not only technology companies, but also enterprises for cybersecurity professionals going forward. The firms said enterprises are investing in building a cybersecurity workforce as they adopt digitalisation of their processes.

Sanjay Shetty, director, professional search & selection, and strategic accounts at Randstad India, said, “Between 70-75% of tech companies in India, including IT companies, are looking to hire more cyber security professionals as their existing teams are understaffed or do not have adequate skills to handle the evolving dynamics of internet privacy.”

The Data Security Council of India has forecast that the cybersecurity ecosystem will expand up to a point where nearly one million professionals will be required by 2025.