By CIO Insider Team
 

-As India ranks second in global cyberattacks, the two-day forum united policymakers, tech leaders, and innovators to strengthen national digital resilience.
-With over 100 global and Indian cybersecurity players, the Expo spotlighted cutting-edge defence tech, regulatory priorities, and emerging sectoral vulnerabilities.
-The expo was inaugurated with a keynote by Dr. Brijesh Singh, IPS, Principal Secretary to the Government of Maharashtra.

The inaugural edition of CyberSec India Expo 2025, organised by Media Fusion, concluded on a high note at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, NESCO, Mumbai, bringing together some of the most influential voices from India and across the globe to tackle the nation’s rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape. As India emerges as the second most targeted country globally for cyberattacks, the two-day event served as a timely and critical platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue, collaboration, and innovation.

Held on June 11–12, the conference was inaugurated by Dr. Brijesh Singh, Principal Secretary to the Hon. Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who stressed the need to treat cybersecurity as a national imperative. CyberSec India Expo plays a critical role in bridging the gaps in our cybersecurity ecosystem by fostering collaboration, awareness, and innovation. As India rapidly digitizes, we face growing challenges, from low citizen awareness and skill shortages to gaps in regulatory compliance and secure tech adoption. This platform brings together CISOs, policymakers, and innovators to exchange ideas, explore solutions like AI-powered security and quantum-safe tech, and align on best practices under frameworks like the DPDP Act. The Startup Zone, live demos, and expert sessions make it more than an event, it’s a launchpad for actionable partnerships and resilient strategies. In a world where cyber threats are borderless, we need unified, ecosystem-driven responses and that’s exactly what this expo enables.” added Dr. Brijesh Singh.

His opening address set the tone for a series of high-level sessions that delved into urgent themes such as public-private partnerships in cybersecurity, digital governance, and building cyber resilience across sectors. Keynote addresses, panel discussions and roundtables featured prominent names such as Sumnesh Joshi, Deputy Director General – Ministry of Communications, Government of India; Joerg Muhle, Managing Director – Heise Conferences; Neehar Pathare, MD, CEO & CIO – 63SATS Cybertech; Lt. Col. Akshay Yadava, Director, Unique Identification Authority of India;Rushab Shah, President, Trade Association of Information Technology (TAIT); Kalpesh B. Doshi, Chief Information Security Officer, HDFC Life; Sandesh Jadhav, Global Data Privacy, Wipro Technologies Ltd.

Day 1 opened with a keynote panel titled “India’s Cybersecurity Landscape – What Will it Take to Strengthen Our Digital Borders?” followed by an insightful discussion on the implications of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA). The afternoon witnessed industry leaders decode the role of AI in cyber defence and the rising imperative of zero-trust frameworks for enterprise security. Live demonstrations in the Startup Innovation Zone highlighted cutting-edge technologies such as AI-powered threat detection, quantum encryption, and security solutions for critical infrastructure.

Sumnesh Joshi emphasized the need for public vigilance in a digital age, stating, “Creating more awareness about cybersecurity is the need of the hour. How organisations and the lay person alike can prevent themselves from cyber hacks or crimes…” He added, “We are going to make India Viksit Bharat by 2047, a trillion-dollar digital economy. But with this data-driven economy, the other side is cyber hygiene, cyber safety, and preventing cyber threats.”

Day 2 explored the role of cybersecurity in national and enterprise governance, with speakers stressing the importance of proactive regulation, talent development, and cross-border collaboration. A session on “Cyber Warfare and Crisis Preparedness” examined the growing sophistication of state-sponsored attacks and the need for coordinated incident response. Delegates also engaged in discussions on securing the digital public infrastructure and addressing the vulnerabilities of India’s increasingly connected ecosystem, particularly in BFSI, healthcare, and hospitality sectors — industries that have seen the highest attack frequency in recent years, as per recent DSCI reports.

Speaking about India’s potential, Yigal Unna, Strategic Advisor at 63SATS Cybertech noted, “India should be one of the world leaders in cybersecurity. You have the science, you have the workforce, you have the understanding and we all wish that India will be the spearhead of the global fight against ransomware and cyber crime.” He further stressed, “The first and above all is the need of a skillful workforce with good people, men, women, everybody that can get into this industry and raise it up both on the development side and as CISOs on the client side.”

The Expo floor itself featured over 65 companies and 16 startups, showcasing solutions ranging from endpoint protection and identity management to managed security services. Participating firms included 63SATS Cybertech, Forcepoint, Netwrix, CompTIA, CyberNX, Orca Security, ManageEngine and Seceon, with several announcing new partnerships and product rollouts at the venue.

Commenting on the event’s success, Taher Patrawala, Managing Director of Media Fusion, said, “CyberSec India Expo 2025 was envisioned as a platform that drives meaningful dialogue and action in the cybersecurity space. The overwhelming participation across sectors reaffirms the urgent need for forums like these that can help India build a secure, future-ready digital economy.”

Neehar Pathare, Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Information Officer of 63SATS Cybertech, emphasized this perspective, stating, “The theatre of conflict has transitioned from physical terrain to digital bandwidth. Cyberattacks have evolved beyond mere technical challenges; they now represent significant national security concerns. Initiatives such as the CyberSec Expo play a vital role in fostering resilient digital infrastructure equipped to withstand the increasing sophistication of cyber threats.”

Reflecting on the value of human interaction in cybersecurity learning, Joerg Muhle, Managing Director of Heise Conferences (co-organiser of CyberSec India Expo), shared, “We are a human community. Talking to peers, exhibitors, delegates, and speakers is still the best way to learn how to protect against cyberattacks. That’s what makes CyberSec India Expo so valuable.” Joerg added.

With the cybersecurity market in India projected to grow at over 20% CAGR to reach $20.48 billion by 2030, and cybercrime costs globally expected to hit $10.5 trillion annually by the end of 2025, CyberSec India Expo 2025 arrives at a pivotal moment. As the nation strengthens its digital capabilities, the event has laid a strong foundation for sustained cross-sector partnerships and innovation in cybersecurity.