Indian Cyber Security and Defence: A Comprehensive Analysis

Abstract

The rapid digitization of India’s economy, governance, and military infrastructure has made cybersecurity a critical pillar of national security. With increasing cyber threats from state-sponsored actors, hacktivists, and cybercriminals, India has been actively strengthening its cyber defence mechanisms. This research paper provides an in-depth analysis of India’s cybersecurity and defence policies, institutional frameworks, and operational strategies. It examines the roles of key agencies such as the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), the National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC), and the Defence Cyber Agency (DCA). The paper also evaluates India’s National Cyber Security Policy (2013) and the proposed National Cyber Security Strategy (2020), highlighting advancements and gaps. Additionally, the study explores India’s international collaborations, challenges in cyber warfare, and future directions for enhancing cyber resilience. The findings suggest that while India has made significant progress, a more cohesive strategy, skilled workforce, and advanced cyber defence technologies are essential for safeguarding national interests in the digital age

Introduction

Introduction

The digital expansion of the 21st century has made cyberspace critical to a nation's economic, political, and military systems. India, being a rapidly growing digital economy, is increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats such as espionage, financial fraud, cyber warfare, and terrorism. Notable incidents include:

• Union Bank of India cyberattack (2016)

• Mumbai power grid breach (2020)

• Cyber intrusions in defense networks

2. Policy Framework

A. National Cyber Security Policy (2013)

India’s first formal cybersecurity policy aimed to:

• Establish CERT-In as the national cybersecurity response agency.

• Promote public-private partnerships in cybersecurity.

• Create the NCIIPC for critical infrastructure protection.

B. Draft National Cyber Security Strategy (2020)

Proposed to strengthen and modernize the 2013 policy by focusing on:

• Offensive cyber capabilities

• Security audits for critical infrastructure

• Cyber diplomacy with partners like QUAD and INTERPOL

• Cybersecurity workforce development

3. Institutional Framework

A. CERT-In

Acts as the central agency for responding to cybersecurity incidents:

• Monitors threats in real time

• Issues alerts/advisories

• Conducts national cyber drills (e.g., Cyber Swachhta Kendra)

4. Future Roadmap & Recommendations

A. Strategic Enhancements

• Establish a Unified Cyber Command by integrating CERT-In, DCA, and NCIIPC

• Allocate at least 10% of the defense budget to cybersecurity

• Increase global cooperation (e.g., joining NATO’s CCDCOE)

B. Cybersecurity Challenges

• India is a major target for cyber espionage, ransomware, and state-sponsored attacks

• Incidents like the Pegasus spyware case and AIIMS ransomware attack (2022) highlight vulnerabilities

• Critical infrastructure (power grids, defense) is frequently targeted by Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)

C. Case Studies

India can learn from:

• USA’s CISA (coordination between public-private sectors)

• EU’s GDPR (data protection framework)

• Israel’s National Cyber Directorate (centralized cyber command)

D. Coordination Challenges

Overlapping roles of CERT-In, NCIIPC, and DCA lead to inefficiencies. A streamlined and unified structure is needed for quicker, coordinated responses.

5. Cyber Offense and AI Integration

A. Offensive Capabilities

India is developing cyber counterattack tools through the Defence Cyber Agency, shifting from a purely defensive posture.

B. Role of AI

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing cybersecurity through:

• Threat prediction

• Network anomaly detection

• Automated incident response

6. Workforce Development

India has a severe shortage of cybersecurity professionals (shortfall of over 1 million). Programs like:

• Cyber Shikshaa

• Cyber Surakshit Bharat

• Integration of cybersecurity into higher education
  are crucial to building a skilled talent pool.

Conclusion

India has made commendable progress in cybersecurity, but the evolving threat landscape demands a more proactive and integrated approach. Strengthening policy enforcement, enhancing military cyber capabilities, and fostering global partnerships will be crucial. The upcoming National Cyber Security Strategy (2020) must address these gaps to position India as a leader in cyber defence.

References

[1] CERT-In, \'Annual Cyber Threat Report,\' 2021. [2] Government of India, \'National Cyber Security Policy,\' 2013. [3] Ministry of Defence, \'Defence Cyber Agency: Objectives and Functions,\' 2019. [4] CERT-In, \"Annual Cyber Threat Report,\" Government of India, New Delhi, 2021. [5] Government of India, \"National Cyber Security Policy,\" Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, New Delhi, 2013. [6] Ministry of Defence, \"Defence Cyber Agency: Objectives and Functions,\" Government of India, New Delhi, 2019. [7] Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, \"Public-Private Partnerships in Cybersecurity,\" U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, 2020. [8] European Union, \"General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR),\" Official Journal of the European Union, 2016. [9] Israel National Cyber Directorate, \"Annual Cybersecurity Report,\" Government of Israel, Tel Aviv, 2022. [10] National Institute of Standards and Technology, \"Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity,\" NIST Special Publication, U.S. Department of Commerce, 2023. [11] Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, \"Cybersecurity Workforce Development Strategy,\" Government of India, New Delhi, 2022.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 S Sudhip, I Roshan Singha, Mohammad Atif . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.