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), conducted an interactive session and familiarisation visit for visiting journalists from European Union (EU) countries on Thursday.

The session, chaired by Dr Sanjay Bahl, Director General of CERT-In and Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), took place at MeitY Headquarters, New Delhi.

Dr Bahl highlighted India’s emergence as a global cybersecurity hub, powered by over 400 startups and a skilled workforce of 650,000 professionals, driving a Rs 1.67 trillion (USD 20 billion) cybersecurity industry. He noted that Indian innovators are developing AI-based monitoring systems, threat detection tools, and cyber forensics solutions, strengthening the country’s digital security ecosystem.

Addressing the dual nature of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Dr Bahl described it as a “double-edged sword” that aids both defenders and adversaries. He explained how CERT-In employs AI-driven analytics and automation to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber incidents in real time, while simultaneously countering malicious AI-enabled attacks.

The session also outlined CERT-In’s roles in crisis management, vulnerability assessment, information sharing, and coordinated responses to cyber threats. Dr Bahl stressed that CERT-In issues timely alerts and advisories to organisations and citizens, ensuring proactive defence without causing unnecessary alarm.

EU journalists were briefed on CERT-In’s international collaborations, including a joint risk analysis report on AI with France’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) and a cyber drill with the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats. Case studies of CERT-In’s initiatives, such as enhancing cybersecurity resilience in Indian cooperative banks and protecting citizens’ devices from bots and malware, were also featured in the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025.

Dr Bahl revealed that India recorded 147 ransomware incidents in 2024, and that CERT-In’s coordinated interventions—including real-time intelligence sharing and forensic support—helped minimise their impact.

The session further covered CERT-In’s empanelment of auditors, training initiatives, and support for indigenous cybersecurity startups. Through research collaborations, public–private partnerships, and global cooperation, CERT-In is reinforcing India’s cyber defence architecture, in line with the Digital India vision.

The event concluded with an interactive Q&A, where EU journalists discussed cross-border cyber cooperation, data protection frameworks, and the future role of AI in cybersecurity governance.