Nagaland: Kohima hosts national conference on cybercrime, digital forensics, and intelligence

The Capital Convention Centre in Kohima was the venue for the two-day National Conference on Cybercrime, Digital Forensics, and Intelligence, which commenced on July 25, 2024. The event, themed "Cyber Secure Bharat: Fortifying India’s Digital Future," began with an inaugural session graced by Sethrongkyu Sangtam, Advisor for IT&C, Economics, Statistics & Evaluation, as the Special Guest, and S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, as the Guest of Honour.

During his address, Advisor Sethrongkyu Sangtam emphasized the critical importance of cyber security in the modern world, citing its direct implications on national security, economic stability, and public safety. He called for collaborative efforts, innovative solutions, and robust defenses against cyber threats, underscoring that the responsibility for cyber security extends beyond the government to include all societal sectors. Sangtam highlighted the necessity of public-private partnerships to drive innovation and enhance cyber defense capabilities, expressing his hope that the conference would offer valuable insights, foster meaningful collaborations, and ultimately fortify the country's digital security.

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Secretary S. Krishnan, in his remarks, acknowledged the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's initiatives, particularly those under the National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT), aimed at bridging the digital divide and enhancing digital services in the North Eastern Region. He stressed the urgency of improving cyber security measures amidst increasing IT utilization in governance, advocating for continuous upgrades and alignment with global digital advancements.

Mandar Kulkarni, National Security Officer for India & South Asia at Microsoft, spoke on the evolving challenges posed by rapid digitalization, internet proliferation, and the growing access to technology for both users and cyber threat actors. He highlighted the difficulties faced by cyber defense experts and stressed the need for workforce skill enhancement, cyber threat awareness, and the adoption of new technologies to counter increasingly sophisticated cyber adversaries.

The event also featured brief addresses from DGP Nagaland Rupin Sharma, Senior Director and CG HRD at MeitY A. K. Pipal, Commissioner & Secretary of IT&C Muhammed Ali Shihab, and DG of NIELIT Dr. Madan Mohan Tripathi.

As part of the inaugural programme, Secretary S. Krishnan launched the "Empowering Police Personnel and Government Officials of NE States through IT and Cyber Security Training" project, further underscoring the government's commitment to bolstering cyber security capabilities in the region.