CERT-In Briefs Foreign Journalists on Cybersecurity
Visiting media delegation interacts with officials on India’s cyber framework and Digital India vision
- CERT-In hosts journalists from Europe, America and Central Asia
- Interaction highlights India’s cybersecurity framework and AI-driven defences
- Officials flag India’s rise as a global cybersecurity hub
- Cross-border cooperation and cyber incident response discussed
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 13th Dec: 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), hosted a cybersecurity familiarisation visit and interactive session for visiting journalists from Europe, America and Central Asian countries on December 12.
The session was chaired by Dr. Sanjay Bahl, Director General, CERT-In and Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), MeitY. Joint Secretary, MeitY, Krishan Kumar Singh welcomed the delegation and outlined key initiatives of the ministry, including the upcoming India AI Impact Summit.
Dr. Bahl detailed CERT-In’s mandate covering cybersecurity preparedness, crisis management, vulnerability assessment, information sharing and coordinated response to cyber incidents. He also highlighted the organisation’s role in empanelling auditors, conducting specialised training programmes and building a trusted cyber defence architecture through research collaborations, public–private partnerships and participation in international forums, aligned with the Digital India vision.
Emphasising proactive cyber protection, Dr. Bahl said CERT-In issues timely alerts and advisories to organisations and citizens to counter emerging threats without creating unnecessary panic. He noted India’s emergence as a global cybersecurity hub, supported by over 400 startups and a skilled workforce of more than 6.5 lakh professionals, driving a $20 billion cybersecurity industry.
Referring to the evolving threat landscape, Dr. Bahl described Artificial Intelligence as a double-edged sword, enabling both defenders and adversaries. He explained how CERT-In uses AI-driven analytics and automation for real-time detection, prevention and response, while also developing countermeasures against malicious AI-enabled attacks.
The journalists were briefed on CERT-In’s continuous drills, capacity-building initiatives and international collaborations, including work with France’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) on a joint risk analysis report on AI. CERT-In’s efforts to strengthen cybersecurity resilience in cooperative banks and protect citizens’ digital devices from bots and malware—featured in the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025—were also highlighted. Dr. Bahl noted that India reported 147 ransomware incidents in 2024, adding that coordinated actions by CERT-In helped mitigate their impact.
Krishan Kumar Singh elaborated on the IndiaAI Mission, the proposed AI Impact Summit in February 2026, policy support for startups, and national-level cybersecurity research and development initiatives.
The session concluded with an interactive discussion on cross-border cooperation, cyber incident resolution and information sharing.
