India Needs Cyber-Resilient Systems That Can Survive Attacks, Says MeitY Secretary

As India accelerates its digital transformation, the country must focus on building software and hardware systems that can continue functioning even during cyberattacks, MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan said on Monday.

Speaking at the launch of the Digital Threat Report 2025-26: From Frontline Intelligence to Collective Foresight, Krishnan said cyber resilience has become essential for ensuring both ease of living and ease of doing business in an increasingly digital economy. "We have to ensure that overall digital governance, including AI governance, accords due primacy to both cyber security and operational resilience," he said.

Cybersecurity No Longer Just an IT Problem

Krishnan said digitisation has made financial transactions faster, reduced friction and improved access to services. However, these benefits have also expanded the country's exposure to cyber threats.

According to him, India now needs systems that remain operational even when under attack instead of focusing only on preventing breaches. He added that cyber resilience should become a core part of digital governance as the country expands its use of artificial intelligence and digital public infrastructure.

Cyber Threats Exist at Three Levels

The MeitY Secretary outlined how cyber threats affect different sections of society. At the individual level, cybercrime can lead to financial fraud, identity theft and reputational damage. For businesses and organisations, ransomware and other attacks can disrupt operations and cause significant financial losses.

At the national level, attacks targeting government infrastructure and critical systems take on an entirely different dimension, with Krishnan describing them as being comparable to warfare.

AI Is Both a Risk and a Defence Tool

Krishnan also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity.

While AI can be exploited by cybercriminals to launch more sophisticated attacks, it is also becoming one of the most powerful tools available to defenders.

He said organisations will need to adopt AI-based security capabilities to detect threats faster and respond more effectively than malicious actors.

Domestic Capability Is Critical

Calling cybersecurity a strategic priority, Krishnan stressed that India must develop its own capabilities across the AI and cybersecurity ecosystem.

This includes building indigenous AI models, datasets, computing infrastructure and technological expertise rather than relying entirely on foreign solutions. "In this particular space, there is no other option but to build domestic capacity," he said.

Awareness Is Still the First Line of Defence

Despite advances in technology, Krishnan said awareness remains one of the strongest safeguards against cyber threats. He urged enterprises and organisations to treat cybersecurity as an organisation-wide risk rather than a technical issue confined to IT departments.

He also emphasised the importance of strengthening identity and access management while encouraging organisations to study the findings of the newly launched Digital Threat Report to better understand evolving threats.

As India continues its rapid digital journey, Krishnan said resilience, vigilance and domestic technological capability will be key to ensuring that critical digital services remain available even in the face of increasingly complex cyberattacks.