Accenture on cybersecurity wave as Indian IT watches

Only two of Indian IT Big Five’s 49 buyouts since 2020 were pure-play cybersecurity firms

- Jas Bardia

While global peer Accenture Plc is doubling down on cybersecurity, the sector appears to be on the backburner for Indian IT companies.

This comes at a time when the rise of automation tools and sluggish demand for traditional tech services are otherwise forcing businesses to strengthen their cyber defences.

A Mint review of acquisitions reveals the stark gap: between 1 April 2020 and 24 June 2026, India’s five largest IT services firms spent a combined $6.8 billion to acquire about 49 companies. Among them, Tech Mahindra Ltd executed the most transactions, with about 13 purchases, while Tata Consultancy Services Ltd completed the fewest, with just four.

Only two of the 49 buyouts by homegrown IT giants were pure-play cybersecurity firms. This amounted to an investment of about $300 million in specialized cyber defence, or 4.4% of their total acquisition spending.

In April 2025, India’s second-largest IT firm Infosys Ltd acquired Sydney-based cybersecurity firm The Missing Link for around $68 million. The Missing Link’s cybersecurity practice includes strategic advice, offensive and defensive security services, cybersecurity risk assessments and compliance. Infosys attributed the acquisition to rising demand for cyber defences but did not mention automation in its announcement.