Amid intensifying military tensions between India and Pakistan, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to chair a cybersecurity preparedness review meeting on May 9, 2025. This high-level meeting involves key financial institutions and cybersecurity agencies to safeguard India’s digital banking infrastructure from potential cyber threats.
In light of rising hostilities between India and Pakistan, the Indian government is stepping up its cybersecurity measures for the financial sector. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to lead a high-level virtual meeting today to assess the cybersecurity preparedness of India’s financial institutions.
The meeting, set for 4:30 PM IST, comes amid increased concerns about the safety of India’s digital banking systems following missile and drone attacks from Pakistan targeting military installations in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur on May 8. These attacks followed India’s Operation Sindoor on May 7, which targeted nine terror bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Rising fears of a coordinated cyber offensive on India’s financial ecosystem have prompted urgent government action. The meeting will include senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), top public sector banks, and cybersecurity agencies including the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC).
Ravi Kumar, a top government official, confirmed the meeting and stated that detailed advisories have been issued to banks and financial institutions to ramp up digital security. These advisories include directives on enhancing firewall systems, applying timely patches, enforcing two-factor authentication, and increasing real-time monitoring of transactions.
CERT-In, operating under India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, is the primary agency handling cybersecurity threats across the country. NCIIPC, under the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), plays a vital role in securing critical infrastructure such as banking networks and payment systems.
India’s financial system processes billions of digital transactions daily, including through platforms like UPI and RTGS, making it a high-value target during geopolitical tensions. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, focusing on shielding payment gateways and real-time settlement systems from any potential breach.
The Centre’s directive signals a firm stance on fortifying India’s digital economy during uncertain times, especially with the possibility of cyberwarfare looming alongside conventional threats.
