ICAI makes history by introducing the globe’s inaugural full-fledged Information Systems Audit Standards from February 2026, comprising 11 core standards and three overarching ones. This bold step standardizes digital audits for India’s 300,000-plus chartered accountants, addressing long-standing fragmentation.
Kicking off recommendatory then mandatory, the standards clarify assurance, agreed procedures, and advisory domains, ensuring consistent, disciplined execution nationwide.
‘We’ve redefined auditing for the digital frontier,’ said ICAI head Prasanna Kumar D. Standout features include detailed cyber security and data protection protocols, compelling auditors to assess IT robustness, data defenses, and threat countermeasures—vital as financials increasingly flow through digital pipelines like ERP and cloud platforms.
The structure’s four pillars drive a governance-risk-controls-compliance approach, with explicit guidelines on IT governance, risks, internals, cyber, and data controls. Mirroring international excellence, it professionalizes IT audits into a recognized assurance realm, yielding sharper, strategy-shaping reports.
ICAI’s trailblazing cyber-centric standards herald a new epoch, empowering CAs with tools to secure India’s burgeoning digital financial landscape.