To advance India’s cybersecurity audit ecosystem and bolster the nation’s overall cyber resilience, CERT-In successfully hosted a three-day National Annual Conference — “CERT-In SAMVAAD 2026” — bringing together over 500 delegates, including policymakers, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) from industry and regulatory bodies, representatives from CERT-In Empanelled Auditing Organisations and cybersecurity professionals from across the country.

The conference was organised in association with BITS Pilani, Goa and held from April 27 to April 29, 2026, at the BITS Pilani K. K. Birla Goa Campus. The theme of the conference was “Securing Digital Bharat through Future-Ready Audits: Adapting, Assuring, Advancing”.

The inaugural ceremony was graced by Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa. The conference was conceived and executed under Dr. Sanjay Bahl, Director General, CERT-In and had in attendance Shri K. R. Chaurasia, IPS, Inspector General of Police, Goa; Shri S. S. Sarma, Senior Director, CERT-In; Prof. Suman Kundu, Director, BITS Pilani, K. K. Birla Goa Campus; Dr. Nirupam Mehrotra, Director, Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD), Lucknow; Shri Ashutosh Bahuguna, Scientist ‘E’ and Team Lead Assurance, CERT-In; Shri Shashi Dharan, Managing Director, Bharat Exhibitions; and Shri Abhishek Solanki, Scientist ‘D’, CERT-In.

In his inaugural address, Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, noted that while Goa has traditionally been celebrated for its “Sun, Sand and Sea,” the state is now emerging as a hub for cybersecurity as well. He observed that delegates from across the country and beyond had gathered not only to experience Goa’s scenic beauty, but also to engage in meaningful deliberations on securing India’s digital future. He highlighted the critical role played by CERT-In as India’s nodal cybersecurity agency in guiding national cybersecurity preparedness.

In his keynote address, Shri Sarma, Senior Director, CERT-In underscored the significance of the event and emphasised the importance of collaboration in addressing evolving cyber threats. He noted that SAMVAAD 2026 offers a vital platform for auditing organisations to upgrade their practices, exchange knowledge and collectively contribute to building a more cyber-resilient India.

Prof. Suman Kundu, Director, BITS Pilani, K. K. Birla Goa Campus, spoke about the evolving cyber threat landscape facing Indian organisations and stressed the urgent need to strengthen cybersecurity audits to protect digital infrastructure, vital systems and sensitive data. Expressing appreciation for CERT-In’s initiative, he conveyed confidence that the conference would empower Information Security Auditing Organisations to enhance their capabilities and elevate audit standards.

Ms. Revati Kumar, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Goa Electronics Limited delivered a special address highlighting the initiatives undertaken by the Government of Goa and outlining a forward-looking roadmap for collaboration with CERT-In to strengthen the state’s cyber resilience.

The event witnessed several landmark developments in the cybersecurity domain. These included the launch of AMBAK (Audit Monitoring, Benchmarking, Analysis and Kinetic Interventions) and launch of progress reports by the Working Groups on emerging domains. Additionally, CERT-In, in collaboration with BIRD and NABARD, introduced an advanced cybersecurity certification course for Rural Financial Institutions (RFIs), reflecting a strong commitment to skill development, institutional capacity building and the enablement at grassroot level.

A highlight of the event was a panel discussion on “Auditing the Future: Securing Emerging Technologies through Next-Generation Cybersecurity Audits,” moderated by Shri S. S. Sarma. The panel featured distinguished representatives from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Satcom Industry Association of India, CRIS, BSE Limited and Airtel Payments Bank. Senior government officials and leading industry experts also delivered a series of insightful sessions throughout the conference.

The three-day programme featured parallel management and technical tracks, with over 87 presentations selected from more than 200 submissions, representing cutting-edge cybersecurity audit practices. Topics covered included the cybersecurity of space assets such as UAVs and satellites; emerging tools for automated audits; securing next-generation technologies including IoT, AI driven cyber risks such as emerging frontier AI models with advanced cyber capabilities, blockchain and quantum communication & Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC); SBOM, CBOM, QBOM and HBOM implementation; AI driven red teaming methodologies; supply chain audits; and innovative approaches to auditing complex environments such as cloud systems, APIs and operational technology.

Participants gained deep insights into the latest trends, tools and methodologies shaping the future of cybersecurity audits. Key learnings spanned emerging automation tools, strategic risk management, audit frameworks and adaptive approaches for assessing complex digital environments. Delegates left with actionable strategies for strengthening cybersecurity audit readiness with a particular emphasis on proactive risk assessment, resilience testing, process automation, compliance strengthening and continuous improvement in audit quality.