Jaydeep Singh, General Manager-India, Kaspersky highlights rising AI-driven cyber threats while scaling detection and investing in cyber awareness, role-play learning, and talent development across India.
Cybersecurity awareness is no longer confined to enterprise boardrooms—it is rapidly becoming a societal imperative. With digital exposure starting at an increasingly young age, organisations are now rethinking how cyber education is delivered, moving beyond traditional training models to more immersive, real-world simulations. Kaspersky has recently introduced its new cybersecurity role-play centre at KidZania Noida—an initiative designed to teach children the fundamentals of cyber safety through experiential learning, even as the broader threat landscape grows more complex with AI-driven risks.
In this conversation, Jaydeep Singh, General Manager-India, Kaspersky explains how the company is navigating this dual challenge—scaling advanced AI-led threat detection while simultaneously investing in long-term cyber awareness. From detecting nearly 500,000 new malware samples daily and tracking over 900 APT groups, to addressing ransomware-as-a-service and the rise of organised cybercrime, he outlines the evolving nature of threats. At the same time, he highlights the importance of foundational cyber hygiene, the role of role-based learning in shaping safer digital habits among children, and the need to bridge India’s cybersecurity talent gap through internships, academic partnerships, and ecosystem-driven initiatives.
CIO&Leader: You have demonstrated capabilities around identity fraud, phishing, stalking analysis, and more. But as cybersecurity becomes more complex day by day, especially with AI-driven threats, how are you going to keep it updated for the next generation?
Jaydeep Singh: I think the velocity and intensity of attacks keep on changing every day, every week, every month. We have been leveraging AI in our processes and in our tools for enhancing detection rates significantly.
We detect nearly 500,000 new malware samples every day—and at that scale, it’s simply not possible without AI.
For example, we have integrated AI into our systems, which has led to about a 30% increase in detection rates for any kind of malware for our customers. So it has really helped us quite a bit. We detect nearly 500,000 new malware samples every day.
Now, it is not really possible for you to detect that kind of scale manually. So we use a lot of AI in our processes to detect that. We also verify that with experts to understand the intensity and seriousness of the attack.
The most important part is that we need to follow the basic cyber hygiene, basic processes and keep ourselves safe.
So I think it’s like a catch, both the bad actors and the good actors keep on fighting this every day. The most important part is that we need to follow the basic cyber hygiene, basic processes, and keep ourselves safe. This is going to be a cat-and-mouse game for some time, for sure.
CIO&Leader: What is the long-term impact you are expecting out of this role-play experience in India, specifically on children’s digital habits?
Jaydeep Singh: Children today are born into the digital era. So I think almost 80% of children today have access to mobile devices or any kind of internet-enabled device.
For them to understand safe cyber behaviour, for them to understand phishing, to be aware of in-game scams, I think it is very, very important. Because they are impressionable.
Children today are getting introduced to artificial intelligence, and AI can be a defence, but it can also be a cause of vulnerability.
I think role-based learning models are great models for them to absorb these concepts. And, they also replicate that within their peer groups, so it becomes a kind of peer learning model.
This is a very important learning model for children, for them to socialise, to meet up, and to upskill themselves.
Also, children today are getting introduced to Artificial Intelligence. And AI can be a defence, but it can also be a cause of vulnerability.
CIO&Leader: In 2026, how are you planning to balance both sides of AI, the defensive and the risk aspect, and how are you mapping your products accordingly?
Jaydeep Singh: We have been using AI in our processes, in our support, and in our products for more than 10 years. That is how we have been able to enhance a lot of our detection skills and improve our response to customers, and overall have better detection rates.
So we continue to invest in those products and processes as we move forward.
And I think overall, the verticals might change. It will not only be IT, it might extend into OT also at times. I think we will keep on continuing to invest our time and effort in developing and leveraging AI to protect customer environments more and more.
CIO&Leader: I also want your perspective on your India Cyber Threat Matrix. Two highlights there were Dark AI and Ransomware-as-a-Service. Which one is more prominent in the Indian market, and how should Indian industries plan their digital economy accordingly?
Jaydeep Singh: Ransomware-as-a-Service is definitely something where we have seen a huge impact in certain verticals.
Most of the APT actors and bad actors basically follow the money. So I think they are trying to work like corporations also, at the same time.
Today, we are focused on tracking more than 900 APT groups every day. So Kaspersky researchers track more than 900 APT groups, which is huge.
For our customers, I think what is important is that they should have the basic tools to protect their environment, whether it’s email, endpoints, or servers.
The other part is educating all the functions within the company on basic cyber awareness, like not clicking on emails or links that feel illegitimate.
They should also have cyber resilience response processes in place and a cross-functional team ready to react in case of emergencies related to cyber breaches, if they happen.
CIO&Leader: How does the Indian CXO community views security today? Do they see it as an IT cost or as a business enabler?
Jaydeep Singh: I think we have seen a significant number of initiatives from the government, whether it is SEBI, whether it is DPDP, RBI providing guidelines to corporates and organisations to help them protect themselves better.
We have also seen significant investments by organisations in their cyber resilience processes, both in terms of products and processes.
The challenge, however, is that today we still have a gap in the number of skilled people required in the market.
So what is happening is that a lot of smaller companies and mid-sized companies are looking at managed security service providers to be able to afford and maintain their cyber resilience posture.
So we are working with a lot of MSSPs today who are using our tools and products to provide services to SMB and mid-market customers.
CIO&Leader: You have set up role-play centers in Mumbai and Noida, and I understand this started in Mexico. Is this part of a long-term talent pipeline strategy?
Jaydeep Singh: We have three approaches to that.
One is that we have launched internship programs for engineering graduates. We are taking them across various functions like research, support, sales, and channels, to upskill them and help them get better jobs in the market. That’s one aspect of upskilling.
Number two, we also do a lot of engagements with institutions like IITs and some institutions like Manipal. We have conducted hackathons to bring more visibility and also to enable students to understand what future job opportunities could look like.
We have also done some CSR activities, for example, for senior citizens last year in Mumbai, because they also require digital awareness and safety education. These are very different demographics.
So we are trying to cover all demographics, from bringing awareness and education to also enabling upskilling.