New Delhi | December 13, 2025 : 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 Asia on December 12, 2025.
The session was chaired by Dr. Sanjay Bahl, Director General, CERT-In and Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), MeitY. Shri Krishan Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary, MeitY, welcomed the delegation and highlighted key initiatives of the Ministry, including the upcoming India AI Impact Summit.
Dr. Bahl outlined CERT-In’s mandate and responsibilities, including cyber incident response, crisis management, vulnerability assessment, information sharing, empanelment of auditors, and specialised training programmes. He said CERT-In plays a pivotal role in strengthening India’s cyber defence architecture through research collaborations, public–private partnerships, and active participation in international forums, in line with the vision of Digital India.
He emphasized that CERT-In issues timely alerts and advisories to organisations and citizens on emerging cyber threats, ensuring proactive protection without causing undue alarm. Highlighting India’s growing global footprint in cybersecurity, Dr. Bahl noted that the country has over 400 cybersecurity startups, a skilled workforce of more than 6.5 lakh professionals, and a $20 billion cybersecurity industry.
Addressing emerging challenges, Dr. Bahl described Artificial Intelligence as a double-edged sword, aiding both cyber defenders and attackers. He explained how CERT-In uses AI-driven analytics and automation for real-time detection, prevention and response, while simultaneously developing safeguards against malicious AI-enabled attacks.
The journalists were also briefed on CERT-In’s continuous cyber drills, capacity-building efforts, and international collaborations, including joint initiatives with France’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI). These include a high-level AI risk analysis report titled “Building Trust in AI through a Cyber Risk-Based Approach” and coordinated cyber drills with global and regional partners. CERT-In’s initiatives to strengthen cybersecurity in cooperative banks and protect citizens’ digital devices from bots and malware were highlighted, which were also featured in the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025.
Dr. Bahl informed that India reported 147 ransomware incidents in 2024, adding that CERT-In’s coordinated response and real-time intelligence sharing significantly mitigated their impact.
Shri Krishan Kumar Singh elaborated on the IndiaAI Mission, policy support for indigenous cybersecurity startups, ongoing research and development initiatives, and preparations for the AI Impact Summit scheduled in February 2026.
The interaction concluded with a question-and-answer session, during which participants discussed cross-border cooperation, cyber incident resolution, and information sharing mechanisms.
