Indian Army alert to any emerging cyber threat, says General Naravane

New Delhi: Chief of the Army Staff General MM Naravane has reiterated that the Indian Army is alert to any emerging threat in cyber-security and has taken a number of steps to consolidate its capabilities in the cyber domain. During an online ceremony held on Thursday to felicitate the winners of the first-of-its-kind Hackathon conducted at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE) at Mhow, General Naravane acknowledged that cyber threats from a host of actors were one of the most critical challenges faced by the Nation today.

General Naravane lauded the efforts made by the organisers and the participants for their motivation, zeal and spirit towards each activity during the Hackathon. He also wished them the best for their future endeavours, adding that this maiden effort would grow and evolve over time to encourage innovation and creativity in young minds.

The Hackathon "Sainya Ranakshetram" was organised from 01 Oct 2021 to 31 Dec 2021 to promote proficiency and expertise in the use of emerging technologies and to showcase the technological side of the Indian Army. It was held in collaboration with the Rashtriya Raksha University under the overall guidance of the Shimla based Army Training Command (ARTRAC) in which over 15000 participants took part.

The event was conducted virtually over the Internet and comprised a number of challenges based on Secure Coding, Software Defined Radio exploitation and Cyber Offensive skills. The highlights of the event included participants competing with each other in cyberspace against simulated threats. The event also hosted a number of training sessions and expert talks for the participants. Cyber enthusiasts from across the country took part in the event, with substantial responses from rural and remote areas.

Last week also in the Indian Army's Pragyan Conclave, General Narvane had talked elaborately about the nature and contours of future conflicts including cyber wars. He had said, "We are already witnessing trailers of future conflicts. They are being enacted daily on the information battlefield, in the networks and in cyberspace. They are also being played along with our yet unsettled and active borders. It is for us to visualise, the battlefield contours of tomorrow, based on these trailers."

"There are ongoing hostilities between states, in the cyber, information, sub-conventional and hybrid domains, without a formal pronouncement of war," he added.

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