India’s Private Security Industry: Trends and Leading States

Private Security Industry

Maharashtra leads India with 7,293 registered private security agencies under the PASARA Act, 2005. India has a total of 26,229 private security agencies, with 55% concentrated in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

What is the Private Security Industry?

The private security industry refers to the sector that provides security services to individuals, businesses, and organizations through privately owned companies rather than government-run agencies.

These services are aimed at protecting people, property, and assets from various threats such as theft, vandalism, terrorism, and other criminal activities.
Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana follow in the number of private security agencies.

Industry Workforce

Approximately 7 to 10 million individuals join the private security workforce annually, but only 20% are trained and stay beyond a year.
The share of organized players is expected to rise from 35% to 50% by 2026, driven by global firms entering the market.

Demand for Private Security

The government's security apparatus is insufficient, creating a need for private security to supplement efforts.
41% of security guards work in the commercial sector, while 39% are employed in residential areas.
Major cities like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata account for 70% of residential security demand.

Employment Opportunities

Private security is a major employment source for individuals aged 15-19, mostly from below the poverty line.
Key regions supplying manpower include Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Assam.
Over 90% of the workforce consists of security guards, forming the foundation of the sector.
India has a competitive edge in affordable labor, with a minimum wage of ₹7,500 per month for trained security guards.
The top 7-8 players dominate 75 - 80% of the cash management segment due to high security requirements.