Centre Issues Urgent Cybersecurity Advisory to All States and Regulators
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued a directive to all central ministries, state governments, union territories, and key financial regulators to immediately bolster their cybersecurity frameworks and review vulnerabilities in their digital infrastructure. The advisory, released on June 28, 2026, flags the growing use of artificial intelligence by cybercriminals to launch faster and more sophisticated attacks.
The warning comes amid a sharp rise in AI-driven cyber threats globally, with threat actors leveraging generative AI, large language models (LLMs), autonomous agents, and AI-driven automation tools to identify weaknesses and execute attacks at an unprecedented scale and speed. MeitY emphasized that these advances have significantly altered the global cybersecurity landscape.
Comprehensive Blueprint by CERT-In Circulated to All Entities
The advisory is accompanied by a comprehensive cybersecurity blueprint prepared by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). This blueprint has been circulated to the Secretaries of all central ministries and departments, Chief Secretaries of states and union territories, and regulators including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), and the Central Electricity Authority.
According to the advisory, the blueprint outlines specific measures to address vulnerabilities and enhance resilience against AI-powered cyberattacks. It calls for immediate review of existing security protocols and implementation of advanced threat detection systems.
AI-Driven Threats Demand Urgent Action
MeitY highlighted that the use of AI by malicious actors has enabled them to automate attack processes, making them faster and more difficult to detect. The ministry warned that traditional cybersecurity measures may no longer be sufficient to counter these evolving threats. The advisory urges all entities to adopt a proactive approach, including regular security audits, employee training, and deployment of AI-based defense mechanisms.
“The advances in artificial intelligence, including generative AI and large language models, have significantly altered the global cybersecurity landscape, enabling threat actors to identify weaknesses and execute cyberattacks at an unprecedented scale and speed,” the ministry stated.
Impact on Financial and Energy Sectors
The inclusion of regulators such as RBI, SEBI, NABARD, IRDAI, and the Central Electricity Authority underscores the critical nature of the advisory. These bodies oversee sectors that are vital to the national economy and infrastructure. The Centre has directed them to ensure that all regulated entities comply with the new cybersecurity guidelines without delay.
According to a recent report by CERT-In, India witnessed a 30% increase in cyberattacks in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year, with AI-powered attacks accounting for a significant portion. The advisory aims to mitigate these risks by strengthening the digital defenses of government and financial systems.
