10th Cyber & Data Security Summit 2026: Charting India’s Roadmap “From Data to Defence”

Bringing together policymakers, law enforcement leaders, CIOs, CISOs and global technology experts, VARINDIA’s flagship summit explored governance frameworks, AI-driven security, enterprise resilience and national cyber preparedness to strengthen India’s evolving digital defence ecosystem through strategic collaboration.

The 10th edition of the Cyber and Data Security Summit (CDS) 2026, hosted by VARINDIA, convened policymakers, law enforcement officials, CIOs, CISOs, legal experts and global technology leaders under the theme “From Data to Defence” in New Delhi on February 20. Held at Hotel Pride Plaza in Aerocity, the full-day industry summit presented a structured roadmap linking governance, enterprise transformation and cyber defence innovation.

The summit commenced with an auspicious lamp-lighting ceremony, graced by leading dignitaries from government and industry, signalling the start of a comprehensive exploration of India’s evolving cybersecurity landscape. Dr. Deepak Kumar Sahu, Editor-in-Chief of VARINDIA, welcomed attendees and underscored the importance of collaboration across policy, technology and governance. “We have gathered at a platform where industry, OEMs, and VARs converge to address critical challenges in cybersecurity and data protection,” he remarked, setting a collaborative tone for the day.

Delivering the industry address, Dr. Pavan Duggal, Chairman of the International Commission on Cyber Security Law, highlighted the growing need for a regulatory framework that balances security with innovation. He underscored that cybersecurity is not just a technical issue but a societal imperative requiring proactive governance and legal preparedness.

The Chief Guest, Padma Jaiswal, Secretary, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), addressed the audience on the government’s role in securing digital infrastructure. She emphasized the need for progressive policies that enable innovation while safeguarding citizen data, reinforcing India’s commitment to building a secure and trusted cyber ecosystem.

Presenting the corporate perspective, Ankit Wasnik, Lead Security Solutions Architect at Qualys, showcased enterprise security solutions and emphasized the importance of automated risk detection in cloud and hybrid environments to strengthen cyber resilience.

Guest speaker Adv. (Dr.) Prashant Mali, Cyber Law Expert, Bombay High Court, elaborated on evolving legal frameworks for cybercrime mitigation. He stressed that law must evolve alongside technology to ensure accountability, transparency and trust in the digital economy.

Policy, Governance and National Cyber Preparedness

The first panel discussion, “Securing India’s Digital Future: From Risk to Resilience,” moderated by Dr. Sahu, featured Maj General (Dr.) Dilawar Singh, Independent Director, Transrail Lightening Ltd.; Deepti Bhatia, CIPP/E, Chair – IAPP New Delhi Chapter; Sarita Padmini, Senior Director, Protiviti; Dr. Harsha Thennarasu (CERT-In Auditor), Chief Cyber Defence Advisor – HKIT Cyber Security Solutions; and Vishal R Soni, Strategic Advisor – Consulting Practice. The discussion focused on strengthening cyber hygiene at scale, building resilient systems and embedding security within organizational DNA.

In his keynote address, Dr. Pronab Mohanty, DGP – ICT & Cybercrime, Government of Karnataka, addressed emerging threats in AI-driven cybercrime. He highlighted the need for predictive analytics, coordinated enforcement mechanisms and robust threat intelligence to protect critical and citizen-facing infrastructure.

Post-lunch sessions shifted toward enterprise execution and technology deployment. Sumith Satheesan, Head – Enterprise Solution Consulting, TP-Link, spoke about secure connectivity and enterprise networking solutions, emphasizing, “In the AI era, network security is the foundation of digital trust; any weak link can compromise the entire system.”

The second panel discussion, “Ready to Secure Your AI Transformation?”, moderated by Mohini Ratna, Editor, VARINDIA, featured Bharat B Anand, Group Chief Information & Technology Officer, Contec Global Ltd.; Anandaday Misshra, Founder & Managing Partner, AMLEGALS; Pankaj Mittal, Founder & CEO, Digizen Consulting; and Chetandeep S Batra, Senior Security Consultant, EY Global Consulting Services. The panel explored AI-driven data protection strategies, governance mechanisms and enterprise risk frameworks.

Pankaj Mittal, Founder & CEO of Digizen Consulting, highlighted risk management in AI-enabled enterprises. “AI can only learn from the data you provide. Misuse or incorrect configurations can turn innovation into a liability,” he warned.

The third panel discussion, “From Cyber Warfare to Data Protection: Building a Secure Viksit Bharat,” was moderated by Gyana Ranjan Swain, Consulting Editor, VARINDIA. Panellists included Vijay Sethi, Chairman, Mentorkart & Crafsol Technologies; Puneet Kaur Kohli, Chief Technology & Innovation Officer, Generali Central Life Insurance; Arvind Koul, Global Head – Digital & Cybersecurity, Uno Minda; Prof. (Dr.) J S Sodhi, Group Chief Information Officer & Senior Vice President, Amity Education Group; and Sujoy Brahmachari, Chief Information Officer & Chief Information Security Officer, Rosmerta Technology Ltd. The discussion underscored sectoral resilience, board-level cyber accountability and the strategic role of leadership in national cyber preparedness.

Enterprise Security Innovation and Industry Leadership

Delivering his corporate presentation, Sandeep Bhambure, VP & MD (India & SAARC) at Veeam Software, underscored the importance of data continuity and resilience. “Backups are not just a compliance checkbox—they are critical to maintaining trust and operational continuity,” he said.

Ayush Mehan, Senior Sales Engineer at ForcePoint, presented insights on insider threats and behavioural analytics. “People often bypass rules unintentionally. Security must anticipate human behaviour, not just system vulnerabilities,” he observed.

Dr. Rajendra Kumar, Group Chief Technology Officer at RAH Infotech, emphasized the importance of end-to-end cybersecurity solutions. “A secure product isn’t complete unless it accounts for real-world threats at scale,” he stated, reinforcing population-scale security as a fundamental design principle.

The evening session formally began with a welcome address by Mohini Ratna, who greeted attendees and set the tone for the concluding segment of the summit. “It’s inspiring to see policymakers, industry leaders, and cybersecurity professionals gathered under one roof. Today’s discussions will not just highlight risks, but also actionable solutions for a secure Digital India,” she remarked.

In his opening address, Dr. Harold Dcosta, President of Cyber Security Corporation, highlighted the evolving threat landscape. “Cyber-attacks are no longer isolated events—they are persistent and adaptive. Organizations must build proactive defenses, not reactive responses,” he emphasized.

Dr. Arindam Sarkar, Chief Architect of FaceOff Technologies Inc., showcased innovative multi-layered threat detection solutions. “Our platform anticipates attacks before they occur by analyzing behavioural patterns across networks. Prevention, not just detection, is the key to resilience,” he explained.

Ankur Patial, Senior Consultant Information & Data Security at Varonis, highlighted the growing importance of access governance in the AI era, stating, “AI tools inherit my access rights. Without proper guardrails, sensitive data can be unintentionally exposed.”

S N Tripathi, Former Secretary, GOI & DG – IIPA, in his keynote speech, stressed citizen-centric cybersecurity and the need for trust in digital governance, asserting, “More data means more vulnerability, more fear, and more suspicion… unless I prove that you are not you, no data is secure.”

The summit culminated in an OEM Awards Ceremony recognizing excellence in cybersecurity, data protection and privacy innovation. The winners were announced across key categories: Best Company into Cloud Security Solution – Qualys Security Techservices Pvt. Ltd.; Best Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Product – ForcePoint Software Consulting India Pvt. Ltd.; Best Unified Endpoint Management – ManageEngine (Zoho Corporation); Best Threat Intelligence Platform – Cyble Solutions Pvt. Ltd.; Best SD-WAN Solution Provider – Fortinet Technologies India Pvt. Ltd.; Best Unified Endpoint Management – SOTI India Pvt. Ltd.; Best Company into Network Security – Cisco Systems India Pvt. Ltd.; Best Company into Data Security – Varonis Systems Inc.; Best Company into Data Privacy – Data Safeguard India Pvt. Ltd.; and Best Company into IT & OT Security – Check Point Software Technologies India Pvt. Ltd.

The formal proceedings concluded with the Vote of Thanks delivered by Mohini Ratna, followed by networking and a cocktail dinner, marking the close of the event.

As India accelerates toward a digitally empowered future, the 10th Cyber & Data Security Summit 2026 demonstrated that cybersecurity now firmly sits at the intersection of governance, enterprise strategy and national resilience—signalling a decisive shift from managing data to defending it.