Daily Deeptech Digest — April 25, 2026
AI, Cybersecurity & Deeptech News from India & Southeast Asia
🤖 AI & MACHINE LEARNING
India AI Talent Hiring Surges 59.5% Year-on-Year
Demand for AI professionals in India has jumped 59.5% year-on-year, according to LinkedIn's AI Labor Market Report 2026. In manufacturing alone, AI engineering talent has expanded four-fold. Demand is expanding beyond metro cities into Tier-II and Tier-III cities, reflecting a nationwide adoption wave across sectors including healthcare, finance, and logistics.
India AI Impact Summit 2026: Global Leaders Spotlight India's AI Potential
Former UK PM Rishi Sunak lauded India's digital public infrastructure as the foundation for widespread AI adoption at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. Stanford Professor Surya Ganguli outlined three scientific frontiers to advance intelligence beyond current models. The summit, hosted by IndiaAI, brought together policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders to chart the country's AI roadmap.
Dooritt: India's AI PropTech Platform Launches with Global Ambitions
Dooritt, an AI-powered property technology platform, was officially launched at the Press Club of India on April 23, 2026. The platform combines AI with augmented and virtual reality to transform property discovery. Already present in India and Dubai, Dooritt has announced expansion plans into Pattaya, Phuket, and Bali, targeting Southeast Asia's booming real estate market.
Rocket AI: Indian Startup Offers McKinsey-Style Consulting at a Fraction of the Cost
Indian startup Rocket has built an AI system capable of producing McKinsey-style strategic consulting reports in minutes. Targeting enterprises and mid-market companies, Rocket is positioning AI as a disruptor to the traditional management consulting industry. The startup aims to democratize strategic insights for businesses that cannot afford premium consulting fees.
🛡️ CYBERSECURITY
India's Government Reviews AI Risks Amid Rising Cyber Threats in Banking
A high-level meeting led by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw — with participation from banks, regulators, and cybersecurity agencies — has directed banks to strengthen cybersecurity defences and share threat intelligence in real time. The meeting was triggered by growing concerns about advanced AI tools being exploited for cyberattacks. All cyber incidents must now be reported immediately to CERT-In.
Silver Fox APT Expands India Campaign with ValleyRAT Tax Phishing
China-linked cyber group Silver Fox is actively targeting Indian users with phishing emails posing as the Income Tax Department of India, delivering ValleyRAT — a modular remote access trojan. The campaign uses DLL sideloading, anti-analysis checks, and registry-based persistence for credential theft and surveillance. The group has expanded its Asia-Pacific campaign, targeting entities across India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore since at least December 2025.
India's Cyber Attack Volume Reaches Alarming Scale
Indian organisations are experiencing an average of 3,195 cyber attacks per week — roughly 702 every minute — according to the Seqrite India Cyber Threat Report 2026. The education sector is hardest hit, averaging 7,684 attacks per organisation per week, followed by government organisations (4,912) and business services (3,747). State-sponsored attacks, organised ransomware, and hacktivism are the dominant threat vectors.
💰 DEEPTECH INVESTMENTS & STARTUPS
India Launches Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 — Rs 10,000 Crore for Deep Tech
India's Ministry of Commerce & Industry has launched the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0, allocating Rs 10,000 crore (approximately $1.2B) specifically to bridge the early-stage funding gap in deep tech. The scheme uses a segmented investment approach: AIFs for deep tech startups requiring long R&D cycles, AIFs for early growth-stage startups, and AIFs for tech-driven manufacturing aligned with Make in India objectives. The initiative was announced on April 13, 2026.
India Deep Tech Raises $936M in 2026 So Far, Led by Uniphore
Deep tech companies in India have raised $936 million across 74 rounds in 2026 through April. Uniphore leads the pack with cumulative funding of $961 million. Sectors attracting the most capital include AI, robotics, semiconductors, and space tech. Of 7,453 deep tech companies in India, 1,718 have secured funding, with 202 reaching Series B or beyond.
Southeast Asia Deep Tech: $9.77B Raised, Applied AI & Robotics in Focus
Southeast Asia's deep tech ecosystem now has 2,051 active companies that have collectively raised $9.77 billion. In 2025, deep tech startups in the region raised $562 million across 53 rounds. Late-stage funding surged 140% in H1 2025 vs H2 2024, reaching $1.4 billion. Investors are narrowing their focus on applied AI and robotics that deliver measurable enterprise productivity gains.
MiyaHealth Raises $5M to Expand Across Indonesia and Malaysia
Singapore-based health tech startup MiyaHealth has secured SG$6.5 million ($5M) in a pre-Series A round led by Singapore Technologies Engineering Ventures. The funds will be used to launch MiyaPayor in Indonesia and MiyaProvider in Malaysia in Q2 2026. MiyaHealth's platform serves insurance payors and healthcare providers, aiming to digitise and streamline healthcare management across Southeast Asia.
Southeast Asia Q1 2026: Startup Funding Up 146% Quarter-on-Quarter
Southeast Asian startups raised $2.8 billion in Q1 2026, up 146% from the previous quarter, driven by a surge in late-stage deals. The rebound signals renewed investor confidence after a sluggish 2025. Key growth sectors include fintech infrastructure, supply chain technology, climate tech, and healthtech, with Indonesia's startup ecosystem diversifying well beyond e-commerce.
📋 POLICY & REGULATION
India Forms High-Level Inter-Ministerial Body for AI Governance
India has constituted the AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), headed by Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, to steer the country's national AI governance strategy. The AIGEG will coordinate policy across ministries, departments, and sectoral regulators. Supporting it is the Technology and Policy Expert Committee (TPEC), announced on April 13, 2026, bringing together academic researchers, industry leaders, and digital policy specialists.
India Proposes Mandatory AI Content Labels on Social Media
MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) has proposed requiring "continuous and clearly visible" AI labels on all AI-generated content across social media platforms. The initiative, part of India's revised Draft IT Rules 2026, marks a shift from post-facto moderation to disclosure at the point of creation, covering text, images, audio, and video generated by AI tools.
Vietnam's AI Law Takes Effect; Southeast Asia Races to Regulate
Vietnam became the first Southeast Asian nation to enact a comprehensive AI Law, which took effect in phased stages from March 2026. Indonesia is expected to sign AI regulations as Presidential decrees in early 2026. The Philippines plans to present an AI regulatory framework to ASEAN in 2026. Most ASEAN nations are adopting risk-based approaches modeled on EU-style frameworks, though enforcement capacity varies significantly across the region.
🌐 REGIONAL TECH EVENTS
GITEX AI ASIA 2026 Draws 23,000+ Decision-Makers to Singapore
GITEX AI ASIA 2026, held on April 9–10 at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, brought together over 23,000 tech buyers and decision-makers, 550+ enterprises and startups, 250+ investors, and participants from 110 countries. The event showcased AI infrastructure, enterprise adoption, cybersecurity innovations, and emerging tech investment opportunities across Asia-Pacific.
🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS
India's AI governance is maturing fast. The formation of AIGEG + TPEC signals a move toward structured, coordinated AI regulation. Expect more regulatory actions in H2 2026 around data, deepfakes, and platform accountability.
Deep tech funding is a government priority. The Rs 10,000 crore Fund of Funds 2.0 is the most significant public commitment to India's deep tech ecosystem to date — watch for beneficiary AIFs to be announced over the coming weeks.
Cybersecurity threats are intensifying regionally. Silver Fox's expanding campaign and India's record attack volumes underscore the urgent need for AI-driven defences. The government's directive to banks is a positive step, but implementation will determine outcomes.
Southeast Asia's funding rebound is real — but selective. The 146% QoQ surge in Q1 2026 is driven by late-stage deals. Seed-stage companies remain challenged. Applied AI, healthtech, and fintech infrastructure are the sectors drawing capital.
Vietnam leads SEA on AI regulation; others are catching up. The divergence in regulatory maturity across ASEAN remains a friction point for regional tech companies seeking to scale.
Compiled by ThinKuvate · Deeptech Daily Digest · April 25, 2026