Parul
In a move to bolster India’s cyber security framework, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), through its National e-Governance Division (NeGD), organised a high-level “CISO Workshop on Cyber Security” as part of the ongoing Cyber Surakshit Bharat initiative. The event, held at the India International Centre, saw participation from over 250 CISOs, Deputy CISOs, IT officers, and senior government officials.
Inaugurating the event, S. Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY, stressed the need for independent information security verticals across organisations. He highlighted the critical balance between maintaining confidentiality, sharing threat intelligence, and embedding security features into digital applications by design. “We must ensure that while protecting sensitive information, we actively share intelligence on cyber threats to safeguard digital infrastructure,” Krishnan said.
Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, introduced the ‘Cyber Swachhata’ initiative, likening it to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan but focused on cleansing digital systems of malware. Singh emphasised the importance of integrating cyber crisis management into organisational planning, akin to disaster management frameworks.
Nand Kumaram, President & CEO of NeGD, encouraged the participants to actively engage with the latest trends in cyber security, including artificial intelligence and zero-trust architecture, emphasising that continuous adaptation in both hardware and software is essential for robust cyber defenses.
The workshop also featured key insights from Savita Utreja, Group Coordinator for Cybersecurity at MeitY, who emphasised the appointment of CISOs in all organisations to proactively address threats, detect vulnerabilities, and enhance resilience across India’s digital ecosystem.
Launched in 2018, the CISO training program has been a successful public-private collaboration, with over 1,662 professionals trained through 45 sessions. This initiative aims to equip government and industry leaders with the tools necessary to safeguard India’s digital infrastructure against an evolving landscape of cyber threats.
The CISO Workshop provided a platform for senior officials to discuss emerging cyber challenges and reinforced India’s commitment to building a secure and resilient digital landscape.
