New Delhi: Highlighting the importance of contemporary cyber threats and handling cyber incidents and response, Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, on Tuesday called upon senior management and technical personnel of the government as well as critical sector organisations and public and private agencies to evolve into a formidable army of cyber warriors.
Inaugurating the Bharat NCX 2023 in New Delhi, Sood underscored the paramount importance of upskilling the cyber workforce, inspiring attendees to evolve into a formidable army of cyber warriors. He emphasised continuous learning and expertise cultivation as the foundational pillars for reinforcing India’s cybersecurity defences.
Sood also laid out the importance of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) protection, hardware security needs and Post Quantum Cryptography in his speech, while talking about the need to become “Quantum-Safe”. The 2nd Edition of the National Cyber Security Exercise 2023 ‘Bharat NCX 2023’ will be conducted as a hybrid exercise over 12 days from October 10 to 20.
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The programme is being conducted by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) in strategic partnership with Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU). This flagship event serves as a unifying platform for over 300 participants, representing a diverse spectrum of government agencies, public organisations and the private sector, all resolutely committed to the safeguarding of critical information infrastructure through training sessions, live fire and strategic exercises.
The participants will be trained in various key cyber security areas such as Intrusion Detection Techniques, Malware Information Sharing Platform (MISP), Vulnerability Handling and Penetration Testing, Network Protocols and data Flows, and Digital Forensics. Bharat NCX India will help strategic leaders to better understand cyber threats, assess readiness and develop skills for cyber crisis management and cooperation. This will also help develop and test cybersecurity skills, teamwork, planning, communication, critical thinking and decision-making.
On the sidelines of the event, Colonel Nidhish Bhatnagar, Director of Rashtriya Raksha University, lauded the unwavering commitment of the Government of India to cybersecurity. Bhatnagar highlighted the pivotal role of such initiatives in ensuring India’s cyber safety, particularly in an era characterised by extensive digitalisation and an expanded threat surface and also a step towards workforce development in cyber security.
Bharat NCX 2023 will showcase an exclusive exhibition spotlighting the innovation and resilience of Indian cybersecurity startups and Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). This exhibition will shine a spotlight on the cutting-edge solutions and technologies developed by these dynamic entities, underscoring their pivotal role in fortifying India's cybersecurity ecosystem.
