India Showcases Cyber Resilience at Bharat NCX 2025 with CISO Conclave & Startup Expo

In a major push to strengthen India’s cybersecurity landscape, the Bharat CISO’s Conclave and Bharat Cybersecurity Startup Exhibition—core events of the Bharat National Cybersecurity Exercise (Bharat NCX) 2025—were inaugurated today in New Delhi. These landmark events, organized by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) in partnership with Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), marked a significant stride in India’s mission to fortify its digital frontiers and promote a security-first innovation ecosystem.

The events brought together top government officials, cybersecurity experts, industry leaders, academic researchers, and emerging entrepreneurs, reinforcing India’s commitment to building a collaborative, robust, and proactive cybersecurity posture across sectors.

A Strategic Platform for Cybersecurity Leadership: The Bharat CISO’s Conclave

The Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) Conclave served as a high-level platform for in-depth dialogue and strategic alignment on national cybersecurity challenges and solutions. It featured multiple panels and keynote sessions designed to address contemporary cyber threats through knowledge exchange, policy refinement, and public-private sector synergy.

Key discussions included:

• “Cybersecurity in the Age of Geopolitical Tensions” This panel examined how global conflicts and diplomatic rivalries are influencing cyber operations and state-sponsored attacks. Experts emphasized the need for adaptive security frameworks, threat intelligence sharing, and regional cooperation in countering nation-state threats.

• “From Chaos to Control: Building an Effective Incident Response Framework” The session focused on designing and institutionalizing strong incident response protocols within organizations. Case studies and best practices were presented to highlight how Indian enterprises and critical infrastructure operators can improve resilience and contain breaches quickly and efficiently.

Cybersecurity leaders attending the conclave explored avenues to future-proof India's digital infrastructure, calling for national cyber drills, capacity-building in smaller organizations, and the establishment of sectoral Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs).

Keynote: India Must Evolve from Reactive to Resilient

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Sanjay Bahl, Director General of CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team), issued a powerful reminder of the escalating sophistication of cyber threats. He emphasized that cybersecurity must now be viewed as a national security imperative—not merely a technological or compliance issue.

“India’s cybersecurity threat surface is expanding at an unprecedented rate. It is critical that we move from a reactive to a resilient cybersecurity culture, integrating real-time intelligence, AI-driven threat detection, and multi-stakeholder response coordination,” Dr. Bahl said.

He called for greater collaboration between central and state agencies, academia, industry, and startups to ensure that cyber readiness is embedded across all digital touchpoints—from enterprise networks to citizen services.

Powering Innovation: The Bharat Cybersecurity Startup Exhibition

Running in parallel, the Bharat Cybersecurity Startup Exhibition shone a spotlight on India’s rapidly growing pool of cybersecurity innovators. Dozens of startups showcased their indigenous, cutting-edge solutions, drawing significant attention from government agencies, corporate buyers, and global observers.

Key solution domains presented included:

• Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) tools that enable investigators to track and analyze cybercrime trails swiftly.

• Security Operations Center (SOC) platforms with real-time threat detection and integrated AI for predictive defense.

• Industrial Control System (ICS) security solutions tailored for critical infrastructure like energy, transport, and defense.

• Cyber Resilience Maturity Assessments that help organizations benchmark and strengthen their security posture.

• AI-integrated cybersecurity frameworks that merge machine learning with human intelligence for better detection and mitigation.

This exhibition not only illustrated India’s growing domestic capacity to tackle sophisticated cyberattacks but also positioned the country as a global hub for next-gen cybersecurity technology development.

A Coordinated National Vision: Bharat NCX 2025

The Bharat NCX 2025, of which these two events are integral parts, is a multi-layered national initiative aimed at improving India’s cyber readiness through simulated attacks, live drills, policy workshops, and technology showcases. The exercise aims to test and refine India’s cybersecurity response capabilities in sectors such as finance, healthcare, energy, and transportation.

The collaborative model—bridging public sector units, private enterprises, startups, and educational institutions—is being hailed as a benchmark for national cybersecurity exercises globally.

Looking Ahead: From Strategy to Execution

With India targeting a trillion-dollar digital economy, cybersecurity is now at the heart of its growth narrative. Events like the Bharat CISO’s Conclave and Startup Exhibition are not just ceremonial—they are the foundation stones for a secure digital future.

The NSCS and RRU pledged continued support for talent development, policy innovation, and research funding to sustain momentum beyond Bharat NCX 2025. More programs are expected to be launched to integrate cyber education into curricula and support cybersecurity upskilling for both professionals and students.

In an era of AI, quantum computing, and cyber warfare, India's clear message from the conclave was: resilience through collaboration, innovation through indigenous effort, and security as a shared responsibility.