Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Indian government is preparing to train approximately 5,000 Cyber Commandos to address the growing cyber threats affecting critical infrastructure.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced plans to bolster its team of cyber experts over the next five years, with funding allocated in stages throughout this period. Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized that cybersecurity will become a key component of national defense, and has directed that Indian tech firms like Tata Consultancy Services be enlisted to provide the necessary talent and resources for this training initiative.
Countries such as the United States, Australia, China, and Russia have already established similar programs to train cybersecurity professionals funded by their governments. These experts work to safeguard vital infrastructure, including power grids, transportation systems, and water utilities, from cyber attacks. India aims to follow this model and may seek assistance from Western nations to obtain intelligence and tools essential for developing its cybersecurity workforce.
Furthermore, the Indian government plans to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to protect the financial sector and secure billions of daily transactions against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Amit Shah made these announcements during the inauguration of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) in Delhi. He underscored that cybercrime knows no borders, and stressed the importance of global cooperation to maintain a secure cyberspace.
