New Delhi: Cybersecurity breaches and attacks have emerged as the biggest risk to organisational performance for Indian companies, with 51 per cent of senior leaders flagging it as their top concern, according to the FICCI-EY Risk Survey 2026 released on Sunday.
Changing customer demands (49 per cent) and geopolitical developments (48 per cent) ranked next among the most critical risks, underscoring growing uncertainty for businesses.
The survey, based on responses from 137 senior decision-makers including CXOs, highlights that technology risk is now closely tied to operational continuity and competitiveness.
About 61 per cent of respondents said rapid technological change and digital disruption are impacting their competitive position, while an equal proportion identified cyber-attacks and data breaches as major financial and reputational threats.
More than half cited risks of data theft and insider fraud, and nearly half acknowledged challenges in countering increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Artificial intelligence has emerged as a double-edged risk. While 60 per cent believe inadequate adoption of emerging technologies such as AI could hurt operational effectiveness, 54 per cent feel AI-related ethical and governance risks are not being effectively managed.
Workforce-related challenges also featured prominently, with 64 per cent pointing to talent shortages and skill gaps as a threat to performance, and 59 per cent highlighting weak succession planning.
On regulation, 67 per cent agreed that frequent changes pose challenges, while 40 per cent said compliance frameworks struggle to keep pace.
Climate and ESG risks are translating into financial exposure, with around 45 per cent citing climate-related impact and 44 per cent flagging risks from ESG non-compliance.
Supply chain disruptions remain a concern for 54 per cent of executives.