New Delhi: The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), under the umbrella of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has announced that India’s cybersecurity ecosystem has now crossed key milestones with more than 400 start-ups and over 6.5 lakh (650,000) professionals actively engaged in securing the country’s digital infrastructure.
According to officials, this vibrant workforce and start-up ecosystem are powering a $20 billion industry, signalling India’s emergence as a major global hub for cyber security solutions.
Background & Event: EU Journalists Briefing on India’s Cybersecurity Ecosystem
On 29 October 2025, Indian government agencies including CERT-In, MeitY and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) hosted an interactive briefing for journalists from European Union countries.
Dr. Sanjay Bahl, Director General of CERT-In and Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), chaired the session in New Delhi and highlighted India’s readiness for present and future cyber-threat challenges.
Start-Ups & Workforce: The Engine of Growth
India’s cyber start-up count—over 400—reflects a healthy pipeline of innovation in threat detection, AI-driven monitoring, cyber forensics and incident response capabilities. The workforce of 6.5 lakh includes experts across incident response, vulnerability assessment, audits, forensics and policy.
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This ecosystem is now contributing to large-scale services, export potential, domestic security-automation tools and greater job creation in the digital security domain.
Key Focus Areas of India’s Cybersecurity Ecosystem: AI, Forensics and Real-Time Alerts
Dr Bahl emphasised how Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a dual role: as an enabler for defenders and a tool for adversaries.
CERT-In, under his leadership, is leveraging AI-driven analytics and automation to detect, respond and remediate cyber incidents in real time. At the same time, it is developing counter-measures for malicious AI-enabled attacks.
Other focus areas include cyber forensics, vulnerability assessments, information-sharing frameworks and issuing timely threat advisories to organisations and citizens — all part of a proactive defence posture.
International Collaboration & Global Posture
The briefing also covered India’s collaborations with international agencies, such as the Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information (ANSSI), France, and the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE) for joint risk-analysis reports and drills.
Such cross-border partnerships are aimed at sharing threat intelligence, conducting simulation exercises and strengthening cyber-resilience across national boundaries.
Threat Landscape & Recent Statistics
India reported 147 ransomware incidents in 2024, according to CERT-In’s data cited by Dr Bahl.
The supervisory body says that coordinated interventions, real-time intelligence sharing and forensic support by CERT-In helped significantly reduce impact in many cases.
Policy, Training & Capacity Building
CERT-In has empanelled auditors, undertaken specialised training programmes and provided policy support for indigenous cybersecurity start-ups and solutions.
These measures are designed to build depth in domestic capabilities, reduce reliance on imports, and strengthen cyber self-reliance under the broader vision of ‘Digital India’.
Why It Matters: Implications for India & Beyond
- A stronger cybersecurity ecosystem underpins India’s digital infrastructure, safeguarding government services, financial systems, critical infrastructure and citizens.
- The scale of workforce and start-ups positions India as a potential exporter of cybersecurity solutions and services globally.
- Enhanced cyber-resilience contributes to investor confidence and supports India’s ambitions in tech innovation, AI and digital commerce.
- In a rapidly evolving threat environment, proactive defence (via alerts, forensics, AI) becomes critical rather than mere reactive responses.
Dr Sanjay Bahl: Profile at a Glance
Dr Sanjay Bahl serves as Director General of CERT-In and Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) in India.
He has nearly four decades of experience in the ICT industry, spanning technology, business, global trade, policy and legal domains. Prior to his current role, he was Global Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and CSO for Microsoft Corporation India.
His past roles include governance, risk and compliance consulting for large scale projects, and he has been a key resource person for various national & international security committees.
Under his leadership, CERT-In has reinforced India’s risk-based cyber architecture, emphasising AI analytics, forensics, threat-sharing and capacity building.
Looking Ahead: What to Watch For
- Continued growth in home-grown cybersecurity start-ups and commercial solutions for global markets.
- Scaling up of training programmes and workforce development to raise professional standards among the 6.5 lakh + professionals.
- Expansion of AI-driven threat-detection frameworks and public-private partnerships for adaptive defence.
- Strengthening data-sharing, incident-response collaborations with partner nations and global agencies.
- Further policy initiatives by MeitY to stimulate the cyber-industry and enhance India’s cybersecurity export potential.
