As the global economic climate tightens, the era of “growth at all costs” is officially over. Indian startups are no longer tolerating bloated infrastructure bills. Based on current market trends, here is what you need to drop from your cloud strategy immediately to survive the funding winter.
1. Drop the Loyalty to a Single Vendor
The days of sticking with AWS or Google Cloud simply because “we started with them” are gone. Founders are discovering that loyalty is expensive.
The Shift: Savvy startups are now actively engaging with AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure simultaneously.
The Result: By breaking vendor lock-in, companies are using rival quotes to trigger pricing wars. Founders are reporting that simply presenting a cheaper quote from Azure is enough to force their primary provider to renegotiate terms.
2. Drop “List Price” Contracts
If you are paying the standard rate for your cloud storage, you are overpaying.
The Reality: Startups like Meesho and Dealshare have proven that costs are not fixed. By aggressively renegotiating contracts, they have slashed cloud expenses by 50%.
The Action: Treat your cloud contract like a flexible agreement, not a utility bill. The “Big Three” providers are currently desperate to lure startups to their platforms, creating a buyer’s market for those willing to ask for a discount.
3. Drop Passive Renewal Processes
The most dangerous thing a startup can do right now is let a cloud contract auto-renew without scrutiny.
The Fix: Startups are successfully cutting expenses by 20% to 30% simply by auditing their usage and demanding better rates before signing the dotted line.
The Lesson: Austerity is the new standard. Use the current market downturn as leverage to demand the pricing your cash flow needs.
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.