Vijay Singh
New Delhi [India], December 13: The increasing digitalisation of India’s power sector has brought renewed focus on strengthening cybersecurity safeguards across the national transmission network. With modern grids relying heavily on connected systems, experts highlight the importance of advanced protection layers, real-time monitoring and international best practices to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
The issue has also gained parliamentary attention. An unstarred question submitted in the Lok Sabha for reply on December 18 has sought updates from the Ministry of Power on various aspects of grid cybersecurity. These include the identification of substations requiring Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs), priority locations for intervention, the status of cybersecurity audits undertaken over the past year, and ongoing collaboration with national agencies such as CERT-In for real-time monitoring and response coordination.
As part of the sector’s modernisation efforts, utilities periodically revise procurement plans to align with emerging technical requirements. In this context, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL), through an official communication dated 22 August 2025, informed bidders that the earlier tender for Procurement of Firewall for Substation” had been annulled. But the annulment of the tender raised serious question by various stake holders as Power Grid corporation required immediate upgradation as far as cyber security is concerned.
Experts say that as cyber threats evolve globally, critical infrastructure operators are increasingly integrating multi-layer security approaches. These include NGFW deployment, Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems, intrusion-prevention tools, and compliance with international frameworks such as NERC-CIP and ISO 27001. Strengthening institutional coordination between central utilities, state entities and national cybersecurity agencies is also seen as a key component of future readiness.
Stakeholders expect that ongoing discussions, combined with parliamentary queries and periodic upgrade cycles, will support the development of a more resilient digital ecosystem for the power sector. With India’s grid expanding and adopting advanced technologies, cybersecurity preparedness is anticipated to remain a priority area in the sector’s long-term planning.
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