In an era of escalating cyber threats, India has taken a proactive step toward strengthening its national cybersecurity posture. The Defence Cyber Agency, under the aegis of the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, kicked off a multi-phased cyber exercise titled ‘Cyber Suraksha’ on June 16, 2025. With over 100 participants from key defence and national security institutions, the initiative seeks to bolster readiness through immersive, simulated, and strategic cyber defence training.
A National-Scale Cyber Drill
‘Cyber Suraksha’ is not a one-off drill but a multi-phased programme running until June 27, 2025. It integrates high-intensity simulations, real-world cyberattack scenarios, and gamified response exercises. Participants are drawn from defence, law enforcement, and strategic national agencies — all working together to test their cyber posture and decision-making under pressure.
FCRF x CERT-In Roll Out National Cyber Crisis Management Course to Prepare India’s Digital Defenders
These exercises are expected to expose system vulnerabilities, evaluate response timelines, and help agencies coordinate better during an actual cyber crisis.
Leadership Meets Cyber Resilience
An important component of the exercise is the Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) Conclave. This leadership-focused capsule brings together senior cybersecurity leaders for knowledge-sharing sessions, role-based scenarios, and interactive leadership modules.
The conclave features talks from eminent speakers and culminates in a high-stakes Table-Top Exercise (TTX) designed to simulate national-level cyber emergencies.
A Push Toward Security-First Governance
By embedding leadership roles into cyber defence protocols, India is promoting a “security-first” culture across government and defence structures. The Defence Cyber Agency plans to make such simulations a regular fixture, reinforcing cybersecurity as a continuous national priority rather than a reactive measure.
As the digital battlefield grows more complex, the government’s approach blends structured theoretical learning with hands-on technical drills, ensuring preparedness across the chain of command.
Industry Parallel: CCMP Certification for Executive Leaders
Complementing the government’s initiative is the Cyber Crisis Management Program (CCMP), a certification jointly backed by CERT-In and FCRF. Aimed at CISOs, compliance heads, and enterprise leaders, CCMP trains participants on managing regulatory compliance, breach responses, and financial sector cyber crises and further their career in cybersecurity.
With a growing need to empower executive decision-makers, CCMP fills the knowledge gap between operational response and boardroom accountability. Learn more about CCMP here.
