The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) will now provide comprehensive cybersecurity training to the Indian Army's Central Command, as per a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) inked between the two parties.

The goals of this project are to improve operational readiness and prepare Army soldiers for rapidly changing digital threats.

This partnership is to increase the Army's capacity to respond to rapidly evolving digital threats, India Today reports.

C3iHub, a cybersecurity research and innovation centre at IIT Kanpur, will deliver the programme. It consists of two specific three-month sessions intended to teach Army personnel core cyber defence practices.

According to officials, the modules will address the principles required to secure military networks, incident response systems, and emerging cyber threats.

Lt Gen Naveen Sachdeva, Chief of Staff, Headquarters of the Surya Command, and Professor Somitra Sanadhya, Programme Director, C3iHub, were present when the Memorandum of Understanding was signed.

Dr Tanima Hajra, CEO of C3iHub, signed the document on the institute's behalf.

Speaking on the partnership, Professor Sanadhya said, “This collaboration is a testament to C3iHub’s core mission of translating cutting-edge cybersecurity research into practical, mission-critical capabilities that directly strengthen national defence.”

He added, “We are proud and fully committed to serving the nation by equipping our armed forces with the knowledge and skills needed to prevail in the digital battlespace.”

The training is meant to broaden the Army's understanding of modern cyber defence technologies and procedures.

It will also teach personnel about global best practices and frameworks for detecting, assessing, and mitigating digital intrusions.

The partnership also aligns with the Army's drive toward integrated training methods, in which digital capabilities are prioritised alongside traditional battlefield training.

The Central Command theatre, which includes several operationally sensitive nations, is likely to gain directly from the new training modules.