The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY), in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), organised a cybersecurity familiarization visit and interactive session on Friday for visiting journalists from Europe, the Americas, and Central Asian countries.
The session was chaired by Dr Sanjay Bahl, Director General, CERT-In, and Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), MeITY, New Delhi.
Krishan Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary, MeitY, delivered the welcome address and highlighted key initiatives of the ministry, including the India AI Impact Summit.
Dr Bahl outlined the role and responsibilities of CERT-In in cybersecurity, including crisis management, vulnerability assessment, information sharing, coordinated response to cyber incidents, empanelment of auditors, and specialized training programmes across the country.
He noted that through research collaborations, public–private partnerships, and active participation in international forums, CERT-In is building a robust and trusted cyber defence architecture aligned with the vision of Digital India.
Dr Bahl emphasized that CERT-In issues timely alerts and customized advisories to organisations and citizens to counter emerging cyber threats, ensuring proactive protection without causing unnecessary panic.
He also highlighted India’s rapid emergence as a global cybersecurity hub, driven by more than 400 startups and a skilled workforce of over 6.5 lakh professionals, supporting a $20 billion cybersecurity industry.
According to Dr Bahl, these innovators are developing advanced solutions in threat detection, cyber forensics, and AI-based monitoring systems, reinforcing India’s commitment to a secure and resilient digital ecosystem.
Emphasizing the evolving threat landscape, Dr Bahl observed that artificial intelligence (AI) acts as a double-edged sword, empowering both defenders and adversaries.
He explained how CERT-In leverages AI-driven analytics and automation to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber incidents in real time, while simultaneously developing countermeasures against malicious AI-enabled attacks.
The visiting journalists were also briefed on CERT-In’s continuous cyber drills, capacity-building initiatives, and international collaborations. These include working with France’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) to publish a joint high-level risk analysis report on AI titled ‘Building Trust in AI Through a Cyber Risk-Based Approach,’ along with cooperation with other national authorities, joint drills with international partners, and engagement with global and regional cybersecurity forums.
CERT-In’s initiatives to strengthen cybersecurity resilience in Indian cooperative banks and to safeguard citizens’ digital devices from bots and malware were featured in the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook, January 2025 report.
Dr Bahl noted that India reported 147 ransomware incidents in 2024, adding that CERT-In’s coordinated response significantly mitigated their impact through real-time intelligence sharing and forensic interventions.
Krishan Kumar Singh further elaborated on the IndiaAI Mission, the AI Impact Summit scheduled for February 2026, policy support for startups developing indigenous cybersecurity solutions, cybersecurity research and development, and various national-level initiatives and projects of MeitY.
The session concluded with an interactive question-and-answer segment, during which the delegation exchanged views on cross-border cooperation in cyber incident resolution and information sharing.