Businesses must urgently upgrade data protection systems to counter sophisticated cyber threats and manage growing artificial intelligence workloads, technology leaders warned on World Backup Day.
The caution follows a significant year-on-year increase in ransomware attacks across India, according to the latest Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) data.
“Cyber threats, system failures and stringent compliance mandates necessitate robust backup and disaster recovery strategies—not merely as safeguards, but as business imperatives,” said Amit Luthra, Managing Director, Lenovo ISG India.
Luthra views reflect broader industry and analyst concerns as organisations struggle to protect expanding data volumes generated by AI applications.
Recent studies reveal critical gaps in corporate preparedness. International Data Corporation (IDC) research shows only 43% of Indian enterprises have adopted immutable backup systems, considered essential for ransomware protection.
Meanwhile, Gartner projections indicate 60% of businesses will implement AI-enhanced data protection solutions by 2026, responding to more complex infrastructure demands.
The warnings come amid rapid digital transformation across sectors. Financial services firms report particular challenges, with payment systems requiring near-continuous availability. Healthcare providers face similar pressures as patient records transition to digital platforms, creating new vulnerabilities.
“A modern backup strategy transcends mere recovery; it embodies proactive resilience,” Luthra said, explaining how traditional approaches fail to address real-time data generation from AI systems. His assessment aligns with government advisories urging critical infrastructure operators to test recovery protocols quarterly.
Most of the industry analysts note three emerging trends in data protection strategies: a shift from scheduled backups to continuous data protection, increased use of air-gapped storage systems and greater incorporation of machine learning for threat detection.
As the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act) compliance is inevitable, the enterprises have added urgency to these upgrades. While the organisations finalise implementation plans, experts stress that effective systems must combine technical safeguards with employee training and regular stress testing.
With World Backup Day serving as an annual reminder, technology leaders argue that data resilience has evolved from an IT concern to a strategic priority affecting operational continuity, regulatory compliance and customer trust across all sectors of India’s digital economy.
“By adopting future-ready infrastructure and intelligent backup solutions, enterprises can mitigate risks, enhance security and ensure that data remains their most reliable asset in an AI-driven world,” said Luthra.
