As the bedrock of the global economy shifts and the funding climate hardens, Indian startups are undertaking the “heavy lifting” required to secure their future. The primary structural weakness they are reinforcing? Cloud infrastructure costs.
Founders are no longer focused on rapid, unchecked expansion; they are now focused on building a solid foundation for survival. By engaging in rigorous contract renegotiations with tech giants like AWS and Google Cloud, startups are effectively shoring up their operational base.
The results of this structural overhaul are concrete:
Reinforcing the Runway: Many companies have successfully trimmed the fat, reducing cloud overheads by 20% to 30%.
Major Overhauls: Growth-stage heavyweights like Meesho and Dealshare have executed massive efficiency projects, compressing their cloud expenses by 50% to stop cash leakage.
This shift has forced the “Big Three” suppliers—AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure—into a competitive battle to supply the raw materials of the tech world. In a move to cement better deals, savvy founders are using a multi-vendor strategy. By leveraging competitive quotes from rival suppliers (Google and Azure) as a fulcrum, they are prying deeper discounts out of their primary providers (AWS), ensuring their business is built on the most cost-effective ground possible.
The 5G Talent Crunch
The race to 5G has hit a roadblock—not technology, but talent. India faces a shortage of nearly one million cybersecurity experts just as network vulnerabilities are set to rise. With the demand for cloud security skills skyrocketing, experts warn that hiring alone won’t suffice; the future of telecom security depends on transforming the current workforce through rapid upskilling.
This shift is driven by the very nature of 5G architecture. Unlike previous generations, 5G relies heavily on virtualization and software-defined networking (SDN), which dissolves traditional physical perimeters and moves core network functions to the cloud. Furthermore, the explosion of IoT devices connected to these networks creates millions of new potential entry points for cyberattacks. Without a workforce fluent in next-generation protocols—such as container security, API protection, and automated threat response—telecom operators risk leaving critical national infrastructure exposed to sophisticated, state-sponsored attacks and ransomware campaigns.
"Even if we remove 5G from the equation, our security defense is undermanned. The priority must be aggressive recruitment and training to correct this severe systemic deficit."
Companies often neglect to have written standards and policies around their cybersecurity. Why? Because dozens of them are usually needed, covering everything from equipment management to backup procedures, admin credentialing, remote work policies, and so much more. But it’s well worth the effort.