IIT Kanpur and NPTI Team Up to Upgrade Cyber Security for India’s Power Systems

IIT Kanpur and NPTI have signed an MoU to foster strong collaboration aimed at advancing research and training capabilities in the field of cybersecurity for India's power grid. Know details here

The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK) and the National Power Training Institute (NPTI) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in advancing research and training capabilities for cybersecurity in India's power grid. The MoU signing ceremony was held at the C3iHub, IIT Kanpur, and was attended Prof. Tarun Gupta, Dean of R&D at IIT Kanpur; Dr. Tripta Thakur, Director General of NPTI; and Prof. Sandeep Shukla, Project Director of C3iHub at IIT Kanpur.

This partnership seeks to develop a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the creation of an OT (Operations Technology) and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System) Cyber Security Lab at NPTI. Unlike IT systems used by power distribution utilities or power generation and transmission companies, OT and SCADA systems are distinct and require specialized cybersecurity measures due to the evolving cyber threat landscape.

Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director, IIT Kanpur, said, "The occurrence of cyber-attacks and cyber intrusions is increasing, and we should be safeguarding our critical infrastructure and be future ready for any such malicious attacks. I am delighted that IIT Kanpur is partnering with NPTI to enhance the cyber security of India's power grid. With our extensive expertise in cyber security research, this collaboration strengthens our mission to contribute to the nation’s technological advancements to prevent any further cyber- attacks on critical infrastructure."

Prof. Sandeep Shukla, Project Director, C3iHub, IIT Kanpur stated, "The preparation of a DPR is a foundational step towards realizing the vision of a Power Systems OT and SCADA Lab. This lab will be state-of-the-art and will have the most common components used in OT systems at various Indian utilities. The lab will be more extensive than what is already present at the C3iHub. It will be a great asset for the power system operators in India to train their work force in OT and SCADA security."

Dr. Tripta Thakur Director General of NPTI said, "NPTI is committed to equipping our workforce with the latest technological know-how. The DPR will lay the groundwork for a facility that will provide hands-on training and support the integration of modern technologies in the power sector."

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