Research
As the largest and most diverse democracy on earth the struggle to keep India secure within cyberspace and all other domains is significant. If India’s cybersecurity is endangered, that sets an alarming precedent for the ability of cyber-related threats to undermine democratic processes, national resilience, and e-governance of states around the world. India is currently undergoing efforts to digitise its economy and infrastructure. Initiatives such as Digital India (DI) aspire to link all Indian citizens into the cyber domain. Consequently, the number of users to be safeguarded by securitisation of the cyber domain is rising rapidly. Moreover, the sobering return of great power competition to the forefront of international relations discourse only exacerbates the threats posed to states by revisionist powers such as Russia and China in the cyber domain. To become an economically developed digital nation, India must therefore also adopt a holistic approach in tackling challenges to its cybersecurity.
This report highlights the position of India within the cyber domain. It presents an overview of the current cyber threats and overall cyber environment in India. It also discusses the strategic and legislative frameworks related to cybersecurity in India. The paper includes the results of the HCSS National Cyber Resilience Game (NCRG) executed by the students during the Indo-Dutch Cybersecurity school 2022. The game is a gamified analytical tool suited to the context of India’s cybersecurity. The aim is to gain insight into players’ views as to how India’s cyber resilience can be enhanced. Using the findings of the National Cyber Resilience Game and desk research this paper concludes by providing three recommendations to improve India’s overall security in the digital domain.
Authors: Adam Meszaros, Kamalaeswari Raghu, Hana Masood, Konstantijn Rondhuis, Siddhardha Kollabathini, Dr. Praveen Naidu Vummadisetty, Alessandra Barrow and Michel Rademaker.
Editor: Alessandra Barrow
This report is part of the Indo-Dutch Cybersecurity School 2022 (IDCSS22). IDCSS22 provided educational and professional lectures on cybersecurity to Indian and Dutch students and young professionals. IDCSS22 was sponsored by The Municipality of The Hague, Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in New Delhi, Embassy of India in The Hague, Government of Telangana, Data Security Council of India (DSCI), The Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence. However, the analysis presented in the report, including the conclusions and recommendations, is the product of independent research. The responsibility for the content of this report lies with the authors and the authors alone.
