GRC spending in Indian firms shifts from people to platforms

The first half of 2026 has seen governance, risk and compliance (GRC) shift from a support function to one that shapes business transformation, according to a mid-year trends report from Sprinto, as reported by ciso.economictimes.indiatimes.com. Privacy, once a legal exercise, has become an operational priority with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act moving into implementation phase. Boards now demand live risk dashboards over quarterly presentations, with the RBI and SEBI requiring active oversight of technology and cybersecurity risks.

Artificial intelligence has created a significant blind spot, as few organisations know how many AI systems make decisions across their business. Sprinto co-founder Raghuveer Kancherla said the challenge is building governance that continuously tracks AI systems. Compliance budgets are moving away from solely hiring talent toward platforms that automate governance. Gartner predicts legal, risk and compliance functions will double technology spending by 2027, driven by demand for automated assurance and AI governance capabilities.