In anticipation of future conflicts being centered on cyber warfare, the Centre has called upon the State Governments to establish a specialised and elite workforce known as “Cyber Commandos” to counteract the threat of cyber attacks.

The manpower will be drawn from the police forces of States and Union Territories as well as from Central police organisations just like the elite NSG or SPG commandos are drawn.

In its recent communication to States and UTs, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked all police forces to identify 10 suitable personnel who can be designated as cyber commandos.

According to the proposal, the cyber commando wing would be an integral part of police organisations and will have commandos with specialised aptitude in the area of Information Technology (IT) security and digital forensics.

Sources said the “hand-picked” commandos would receive training and be equipped with required systems to help them deal with and counter cyber threats with larger responsibility for the nation’s cyber infrastructure.

The MHA letter has specified that the specialised new wing will counter threats to cyber security, defend the information technology network and conduct investigation in the cyber space.

“Keeping in mind Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to name this decade as techade and with an aim of countering emerging cyber attacks on the Government’s institutions and infrastructure, such a unit has been considered for each district of India,” said a top Government official.

The first thought of cyber warriors came after hacking incidents of top hospitals like AIIMS, Safdarjung.

Last year, as per official data, Government institutions in India faced 82 cases of cyber attack, eight times more than in 2021.

The new cyber unit in districts will keep eye on the activities of hackers from hostile countries and monitor ransomware threats too, said the officials, adding that the unit will have legal and administrative support.

“During the DGPs/IGPs Conference held in January, 2023, the Prime Minister recommended that a special wing of suitably trained cyber commandos should be established to counter threats to cyber security, to defend Information Technology Network, conduct investigation in the cyber space and to take care of cyber security requirements of the Police and Government organisations on an ongoing basis,” the MHA letter of October 5 said.

The letter mentioned the proposed cyber commando wing would be an integral part of the police organisation.

“It would be manned by suitably trained and equipped serving members of the police personnel drawn from the States/UTs and Central Police Organisations/CAPFs.