New Delhi (Staff Correspondent), November 09: Today, when national security and economic development is dependent on digital infrastructure, cyber operations have become crucial to modern warfare. A country with the capacity of pulling off high end cyber operations had and will, in time to come, easily outgrow any developed country in terms of conventional combat be it on air, sea or water. Unified command, remote access and the capacity of rapid transformation is what makes cyber the oxygen for today’s defence world.
As a growing economy and a defence manufacturing hub, India’s proactiveness in cyberspace not only protects the country’s interest but at the same time positions India as a significant player in shaping up the global cyber governance.
But why is cyber defence so important?
Underlining China’s capability and intent to use cyberspace to attack India former Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, had hinted that there is a long way to go to achieve that parity.
Also, in the Cyber Defence Index 2022-23, it was indicated that in the list of top 20 global economies, China was on 12th position while India at the 17th position. This measures the countries on four aspects: critical infrastructure, cybersecurity resources, organisational capacity and policy commitment.
Also, multiple reports have mentioned the high number of cyber security incidents that India has reported recently. It is said that in the first six months of 2022, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team responded to close to seven lakh (700,000) cybersecurity incidents.
This, however, does not mean that India is not prepared to deal with cyber threats.
The Indian government had well in time realised the sensitivity of the issue and the Indian Army has taken certain steps to improve its cyber readiness.
One such measure includes the establishing of Command Cyber Operations and Support Wings to modernize online systems and maintain control over digital networks.
Another tactical measure is India’s Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA) which is a tri-service command that coordinates cyber warfare between the army, navy, and air force. The DCyA can conduct cyber operations like hacking, surveillance, data recovery, and encryption on need basis and counter threats when and as detected by the enemies in real time.
India is also developing a fleet of “Smart Soldiers”, The project is a part of its digitization and modernization efforts and the initiative has been taken up with its counterparts that excel in such technologies and are digitally advanced on the global pedestal.
Other than these, the Indian Army has also integrated new technologies like swarm drones, loitering weapon systems, and anti-drone gear.
Importantly, it has launched a cyberspace doctrine that integrates cyberspace capabilities across all military domains. This doctrine includes defensive and offensive operations, a unified command structure, and collaboration with civilian sectors.
But the integration into the digital world at the same time brings vulnerabilities as it brings opportunities. The Indian armed forces today face a significant threat of cyberattacks from its hostile neighbouring nations like China and Pakistan.
While the recent malware attack on the server of AIIMS New Delhi was being linked to China, there have been multiple attempts of ransomware to honey trapping using cyber applications where Pakistan’s role, as per the Indian law enforcement, has been evident.
Cyberattacks will not only steal data, manipulate information, control systems used by the government, infiltrate into country’s secretive documents stack and misuse the data or its residents for its gain, but also could potentially damage or cripple critical weapons platforms and major communications and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) systems that are vital to military’s preparedness and war-fighting capabilities.
Experts believe that the Indian military must focus on considerably strengthening its defensive cyber capabilities to neutralise potential threats from the enemy.
Another feature that does not go in favour of India is that its armed forces are highly dependent on satellite communication systems. This makes it vulnerable as the jamming or spoofing of such systems may lead to loss of complete control over space platforms. Such cyberattacks may strike adversely on India’s communication links affecting the army’s ground operations.
Even though the Indian government has year by year only made its budget for defence modernisation robust, what India needs is technological advancement and that too at a desired cost in order to control its defence expenses.
This can be achieved through “Atma Nirbharta” that the Indian government has been focusing on big time and can become a way forward to developing technologies better than their counterparts at a cost much lesser, supporting India’s growing economy at the same time.
But for now, India needs to keep boosting its cooperation with friendly nations and share their technology to develop its own if it aims to become a global technology developer in recent times to come.
