- 13 Trainings delivered by 19 trainers, 70+ Summit speakers, 200+ CXOs, CISOs and VIP buyers, and 2,000+ Business Hall delegates across four days.
- Black Hat Arsenal featured 44 open-source security tool demonstrations across 32 workstations and four hands-on labs.
- Keynotes by leading cybersecurity experts Sanjay Bahl, Director General, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), and Nathan Hamiel (Kudelski Security), alongside a special address by Shri Rajesh Kumar, IPS, Chief Executive Officer, Indian Cybercrime Co-ordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
- Key themes included AI security, digital payment fraud, emerging cyber threats and post-quantum readiness.
Black Hat India 2026, organised by Informa Markets in India, concluded its inaugural edition at the Sheraton Grand, Brigade Gateway, Bengaluru, following four days of high-impact training, leadership discussions, original technical research and industry engagement from October 27 to 30, 2026.
Founded in 1997, Black Hat is one of the world’s most respected cybersecurity conference series, renowned for its independent, vendor-neutral research and technical depth. Its debut in India marks a significant milestone for the country’s cybersecurity ecosystem, bringing a globally
recognised platform and its international community of researchers and practitioners to one of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies.
Four Impactful Days, Four Diverse Formats
The inaugural edition brought together a diverse mix of technical training, strategic discussions, cutting-edge research and hands-on engagement, with each day offering a distinct experience for the cybersecurity community.
Day 1 opened with specialised Trainings, featuring 13 hands-on courses delivered by 19 trainers and covering subjects ranging from offensive security fundamentals to securing emerging AI systems.
Day 2 was dedicated to Summit Day, bringing together 70+ speakers and 200+ CXOs, CISOs and VIP buyers across two tracks, Frontier AI Security and CISO Strategy. Discussions examined the changing cybersecurity landscape, enterprise risk and the growing strategic responsibilities of security leaders.
Days 3 and 4 featured the Briefings and Business Hall, with 35 researchers and practitioners presenting original work on emerging threats, software and cloud security, AI and digital identity, while welcoming more than 2,000 Business Hall delegates. A major attraction was Black Hat Arsenal, where 44 presenters demonstrated open-source security tools across 32 workstations and four hands-on labs, enabling attendees to engage directly with developers and explore practical security applications.
Global Expertise Meets India’s Cybersecurity Leadership
The event brought together prominent government representatives, industry leaders and international cybersecurity experts. Summit Day was inaugurated in the presence of Lt. Gen. Rajesh Pant and Lt. Gen. M.U. Nair, both former National Cyber Security Coordinators of India; Dr. Sanjay Bahl, Director General, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA); and Brijesh Singh, IPS, Principal Secretary, Government of Maharashtra.
Dr. Bahl’s keynote examined the implications of emerging AI technologies for India’s digital ecosystem and the importance of strengthening cyber resilience. Nathan Hamiel, Senior Director of Research at Kudelski Security, delivered the Briefings keynote, exploring how AI is transforming cybersecurity and why human expertise remains indispensable. Shri Rajesh Kumar, IPS, Chief Executive Officer, Indian Cybercrime Co-ordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, delivered a special address on transnational cybercrime.
Senior representatives from NPCI, the Reserve Bank of India, NCIIPC, PhonePe, CRED, Razorpay, Groww, Reliance, Adani Enterprises, HCLTech, EY, Deloitte, KPMG, Microsoft, Mandiant, Akamai, Zscaler and Zoho participated alongside independent and academic researchers.
Across the programme, discussions consistently highlighted the growing importance of securing and governing AI, the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks, software supply-chain vulnerabilities, digital payment fraud and deepfakes. Protecting India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, preparing for post-quantum technologies and translating technical risks into business priorities also emerged as important themes.
Securing India’s Next Chapter of Digital Growth
India’s rapid digital expansion is creating unprecedented opportunities, alongside an increasingly complex cybersecurity landscape. The average organisational cost of a data breach in India reached ₹25.5 crore in 2026, nearly 16% higher year on year, underlining the growing economic implications of cyber risk.
Commenting on the significance of Black Hat India’s successful maiden edition, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, said,
“India’s rapid digital transformation has unlocked extraordinary opportunities, while also bringing the need to secure an increasingly connected economy into sharper focus. In the last financial year, UPI processed over 24,000 crore transactions worth more than ₹314 lakh crore, while CERT-In reported over 29.4 lakh cybersecurity incidents in 2025, an increase of approximately 44% over the previous year. The recent spate of global cyber incidents, including critical PHP vulnerabilities, being described as ‘Black October’, is a timely reminder that digital growth must be matched by stronger security and resilience.
The successful debut of Black Hat India is a significant achievement for us and an important addition to India’s cybersecurity ecosystem. The scale of participation and quality of discussions reflect the strong appetite for a platform of this calibre. As AI reshapes the threat landscape, staying ahead of emerging risks becomes even more critical. We are proud to have brought this globally recognised platform to India and look forward to building on this strong beginning,” he added.
The inaugural edition was supported by Diamond Partners TrendAI, Upwind and EY, alongside other sponsors and exhibitors, and shaped by the Black Hat India Review Board.
A Milestone Year for Informa Markets in India
Black Hat India’s debut comes in a milestone year for Informa Markets in India, marking 20 years of its presence in the country. The edition is also part of Festivity of Business, the company’s annual campaign, now in its seventh year. Spanning 100 days, the campaign celebrates the optimism, energy and entrepreneurial spirit driving India’s growth, bringing together the country’s vibrant festive season and its high season of business events.
The successful inaugural edition establishes a significant new platform for India’s cybersecurity community, bringing global expertise, original research and industry leadership together at a time when securing the digital future has never been more important. For more information, visit www.blackhat-india.com.
About Black Hat India
Black Hat India extends the globally recognised Black Hat platform to India’s rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape in Bengaluru, connecting the country’s growing community of
information security professionals with global research, expertise and industry developments. The platform brings together cybersecurity practitioners, researchers, technology leaders and organisations to exchange knowledge, examine emerging security challenges and explore advancements in information security. Through its technical Briefings, specialised Trainings and industry engagement, Black Hat India provides opportunities for professional development, collaboration and knowledge sharing, while strengthening connections between India’s cybersecurity ecosystem and the global security community.
About Black Hat Global
Founded in 1997, Black Hat is an internationally recognized cybersecurity event series providing the most technical and relevant information security research. Grown from a single annual conference to the most respected information security event series internationally, these multi-day events provide the security community with the latest cutting-edge research, developments, and trends. Black Hat Briefings and Trainings are driven by the needs of the global security community, striving to bring together the best minds in the industry. Black Hat inspires professionals at all career levels, encouraging growth and collaboration among academia, world-class researchers and leaders in the public and private sectors. Today, Black Hat Briefings and Trainings are held annually in the United States, Europe, and Asia, providing premier venues for elite security researchers and trainers to find their audience.
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