Bengaluru : Media Fusion and heise medien GmbH & Co. KG hosted an exclusive precursor leadership roundtable for the cybersecurity industry in Bengaluru, bringing together senior CISOs, DPOs, cybersecurity strategists, technology leaders, and policy influencers. CyberSec India Expo 2026, scheduled for April 23–24, 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai will attract high-profile attendees from leading government bodies, defence programs, global tech giants, consulting powerhouses, policy think tanks, and major enterprises across sectors. As India advances its digital transformation agenda, the urgency to fortify cyber resilience continues to escalate, with enterprises facing over 3,200 cyberattacks per week, placing India among the most targeted nations globally.

The closed-door roundtable was held under the theme “Bridging the CISO–DPO Divide: Shared Accountability under the DPDP Act,” highlighting the growing need for deeper collaboration between cybersecurity and data-privacy leadership amid evolving regulatory expectations. The recent operational rollout of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act has redefined governance structures and accountability for organisations handling personal data. Industry insights reveal that over 60% of Indian enterprises remain uncertain about implementing DPDP-aligned compliance frameworks, while nearly 50% cite talent shortages as a major obstacle – underscoring the urgency for unified execution models between CISOs and DPOs.

The roundtable featured industry thought leaders like Mr. Srinjoy Banerjee, Mr. Ramesh Venkateaman, Dr. Lopa Basuu, Mr. Sandeep Rao and Mr. Joerg Muehle, along with participation from leading organisations including McAfee, Indian Railways, Persistent Systems, Carl Zeiss, Unilever, Nexusnow.ai, LexOrbis and others.

Participants examined whether the DPDP Act will act as a transformative dealmaker in building unified privacy-security governance, or risk becoming a deal-breaker if operational roles, boundaries, and processes remain fragmented. Discussions also explored immediate implementation priorities, privacy-by-design and security-by-design models, readiness for responsible AI regulation, cross-sector data protection, and global standard interoperability.

Key themes explored

  • Convergence of security and privacy operations under the DPDP Act
  • Responsible AI governance frameworks and legal preparedness
  • Protecting sensitive health, biotech, and critical infrastructure data
  • Interoperable security and privacy standards for global compliance

Mr. Raghavendra Deshpande, AGM Global Business Enterprises, Reliance Communications Limited, highlighted that AI-driven threats and agentic AI will require CISOs and DPOs to adopt new security frameworks to protect both AI systems and sensitive data. He noted that fragmented global regulations and potential fines of up to 10% of global revenues will push organisations to strengthen governance and risk management, with DPOs playing a key role in mapping data flows across jurisdictions. He added that geopolitical tensions and rising attacks on critical infrastructure are expanding the threat landscape, making resilience essential, and stressed that the roles of CISOs and DPOs are rapidly converging. “CISOs are now evolving into Chief Resilience Officers,” he said.

Mr. Hariharan R., Head, Global Consumer Services, McAfee, highlighted during the discussion that the DPDP Act is accelerating the need for stronger data governance and clearer consent management processes across organizations. He noted that with rapid AI adoption, key challenges in 2026 will include managing AI hallucinations, strengthening governance, and balancing automation with human oversight. He emphasized that close collaboration between cybersecurity, privacy, and technology teams will be crucial for smooth and secure implementation.

Ramesh Venkatraman, Hon. Director, FDPPI and Portfolio Manager, QMS/ISMS at Carl Zeiss, stated that enterprises will face multidimensional cybersecurity challenges in 2026, driven by rapid advancements in AI and machine learning, as well as the increasing complexity of global data protection regulations across more than 140 countries. He emphasized that cybersecurity can no longer be the responsibility of a single team and that every employee must think like a CISO or a DPO as technology and threats evolve. Ramesh added that platforms like CyberSec India Expo play an important role in advancing national cyber resilience by enabling learning, collaboration, and greater awareness across the industry, and he urged professionals to engage more, network more, and learn from diverse viewpoints to strengthen the community.

Dr. Anup Dayananda Sadhu, CISO of Indian Railways, shared that organisations like Indian Railways are custodians of vast volumes of personal data across PRS and UTS ticketing systems, HR platforms, and public digital channels, and implementing the DPDP Act within the next 18 months will be a major responsibility. He said the organisation is fully aligned and prepared to meet these requirements, and stressed that platforms like CyberSec India Expo are vital in sensitising stakeholders and driving cybersecurity awareness, especially within government organisations. He added that with evolving regulations and rising data exposure, cybersecurity must now be treated as an urgent priority, and knowledge-sharing events like this play an essential role in improving readiness and collective preparedness for effective implementation.

With India experiencing a 30–50% talent shortfall across cybersecurity and privacy roles, and organisations rapidly expanding investment into governance infrastructure, leaders emphasised coordinated workforce development, capability acceleration, and shared accountability models as essential next steps.

Looking ahead, CyberSec India Expo 2026 will present exclusive 2-day conference, advanced workshop, policy forum discussion, hands-on technology demonstrations, and unified exhibitor zones—furthering India’s compliance and innovation ecosystem. This precursor roundtable served as a strategic forum for aligning priorities, exchanging actionable insights, and strengthening India’s preparedness amid rising cyber threats and regulatory complexity.