The Centre on Friday informed the Rajya Sabha that India has witnessed a high number of cybersecurity incidents over the past three years as firms and government agencies increasingly become targets of sophisticated cyberattacks, including those powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
Responding to Unstarred Question No. 717, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada said that the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) recorded 11,99,018 cybersecurity incidents in 2022, 13,88,073 in 2023 and 7,31,988 incidents in 2024 reported by private sector organisations.
Although CERT-In does not classify incidents specifically as “AI-powered attacks,” the data indicates a growing threat environment in which automation, deepfakes and AI-enabled malware are increasingly weaponised by cybercriminals, the minister noted.
Multi-Layered Defence Strategy
The government listed a series of initiatives underway to strengthen cyber defence capabilities across the country, especially in critical sectors such as power, finance, telecom and transport.
Key measures include:
- A “Safe & Trusted AI” framework under the IndiaAI Mission to promote responsible and secure use of artificial intelligence.
- 231 empanelled security auditing organisations assisting companies in implementing information security best practices.
- Cybersecurity audits conducted by CERT-In and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) under provisions of the IT Act.
- National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) monitoring real-time threats and issuing alerts to government and stakeholders.
- Regular cybersecurity mock drills across sectors to assess preparedness.
- An automated cyber threat intelligence exchange platform for faster response.
- Cyber Swachhta Kendra offering malware cleaning tools and cyber hygiene support for citizens and organisations.
- Frequent advisories and hands-on training programmes for cybersecurity professionals.
Growing Scale of Threats
AI-driven intrusions are emerging as a major concern due to their ability to automate targeted attacks, mimic identities and bypass detection tools. With India’s rapid digital expansion and rising Internet adoption, experts have urged the government to develop AI-specific compliance norms and enhance public-private cooperation to counter evolving cyber risks.
The minister assured the House that the government continues to strengthen institutional capabilities and cyber readiness to ensure that organisations across India remain resilient against emerging threats.
