All about Indian Cyber Warfare – Where are Indian defence ?

In the recent Army Commanders’ Conference (ACC), the Indian Army decided to operationalize the Command Cyber Operations and Support Wings (CCOSWs) to strengthen its cybersecurity capabilities, defend its networks, and counter threats in the key domain of cyberspace.

What are CCOSWs?

• About:
  • The CCOSWs are a specialized unit of the Indian Army that will assist the formations in undertaking mandated cyber security functions.
    • The unit will be responsible for safeguarding the networks and enhancing the cybersecurity posture of the Indian Army.
  • They will also facilitate better utilization of modern communication systems and networks within the Indian Army.
• Importance:
  • The migration towards network centricity and increased reliance on modern communication systems makes the CCOSWs important.
    • The CCOSWs will help the Indian Army counter their adversaries in the grey zone and their cyber warfare. And to stay ahead of its adversaries in terms of cybersecurity.
  • The CCOSWs will be instrumental in maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical information.
  • The CCOSWs will ensure that the Indian Army’s communication networks are secure from cyber-attacks. And will be responsible for identifying and mitigating cyber threats to the Indian Army’s networks.

What are India’s Initiatives in Cyber Warfare?

• Defence Cyber Agency:
  • It is a tri-service agency that deals with cyber issues and coordinates with other agencies such as the National Cyber Security Coordinator, National Technical Research Organisation, etc.
    • The Agency is responsible for formulating cyber doctrine, strategy, and policy for the defense forces. It also conducts joint training, exercises, and operations in the cyber domain.
• Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In):
  • This is the national nodal agency for responding to cyber security incidents and providing cyber security services to various sectors.
• National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC):
  • This is the national agency for protecting the critical information infrastructure of the country, such as power, banking, defense, etc.
• Cyber Swachhta Kendra (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre):
  • This is a platform for detecting and cleaning infected devices and providing malware analysis reports.

Way Forward

• Develop a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that integrates the CCOSWs with other cybersecurity capabilities across the Indian Armed Forces, to ensure seamless coordination and effective response to cyber-attacks.
• Continue to invest in modern communication systems and networks, while also prioritizing cybersecurity training and awareness programs for all personnel within the Indian Army to ensure they are equipped with the necessary skills to identify and respond to cyber threats.
• Regularly review and update the cybersecurity policies and procedures in light of emerging security scenarios, to ensure the Indian Army remains prepared to tackle cyber threats in the future.