Special Cyber Commando Units to be Established Across States, Home Ministry Issues Guidelines
5,000 Cyber Commandos to be Trained Over the Next Five Years
In response to the growing threat of cybercrime, the Home Ministry has instructed all states to set up special cyber commando branches. This initiative is a result of increased cyber threats and the need to strengthen cyber defense capabilities, as outlined by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre.
In the past week alone, Indian aviation companies have received over 170 fake bomb threats, mostly via social media, using virtual private networks (VPNs) and dark web browsers, making it difficult for investigative agencies to track the perpetrators. In response, the Home Ministry plans to train 5,000 cyber commandos over the next five years. These commandos will be an integral part of police forces and considered a national resource. The order specifies that potential commandos will be selected from personnel working in various police organizations across states, union territories, and central police agencies.
The cyber commandos will continue working within their original organizations and will be assigned roles based on the expertise they develop during training. Their duties will include digital forensics, incident response, and safeguarding information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure. The recommendation to establish these special branches was first made by Prime Minister Modi during the 2023 and 2024 DGP and IGP conferences.
The central government has entrusted IIT Kanpur with the responsibility of training cyber commandos for uniformed police forces across the country. The first batch of this special training program has already begun at IIT Kanpur’s C3i Hub. The program aims to equip police personnel with the skills needed to tackle cyberattacks, a growing threat in India that affects not only citizens but also intelligence agencies and critical services.
IIT Kanpur’s senior professor and C3i Hub project director, Professor Sandeep Shukla, emphasized the severity of cyberattacks in India and the importance of preparing cyber commandos to counter these threats. The training program lasts five months, during which the selected personnel will stay at IIT Kanpur and receive advanced training in cybersecurity.
The first batch includes 38 police officers from various states, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Haryana, and Jammu and Kashmir. After completing the course, they will return to their respective states, fully prepared to combat cyberattacks.