Airtel and Zscaler Forge National Cybersecurity Shield with New AI Research Center
In a landmark move to fortify India's digital frontiers, telecommunications leader Bharti Airtel has partnered with global cloud security firm Zscaler to inaugurate the AI & Cyber Threat Research Center – India. This strategic initiative, unveiled during the prestigious India AI Impact Summit 2026, aims to erect a robust "national shield" safeguarding the country's vital infrastructure from sophisticated, AI-driven cyber threats. The announcement was made in the presence of IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, underscoring the government's endorsement of this critical public-private partnership.
Four-Pillar Mission: Protect, Remediate, Facilitate, and Build
The newly established center is architected around a comprehensive four-goal framework designed to proactively counter cyber risks. First, it will Protect by generating real-time, actionable intelligence to bolster the cyber resilience of India's national assets and digital-first enterprises. Second, the center will Remediate through direct collaboration with government agencies to neutralize and preemptively thwart cyber-attacks. Third, it will Facilitate the widespread adoption of advanced security frameworks, with a sharp focus on AI-powered defenses and Zero Trust architecture. Finally, the initiative will Build a stronger cybersecurity talent pipeline by offering specialized certifications in AI and Zero Trust, directly addressing the nation's pressing skills gap.
"We are committed to tackling challenges unique to the Indian landscape to cultivate a safer, more resilient digital ecosystem where every citizen and business can connect and prosper with absolute confidence. Our research-backed preventive approach will also foster peaceful and secure interactions across digital platforms," stated Gopal Vittal, Executive Vice Chairman of Bharti Airtel.
Urgent Need: Alarming Cyber Threat Statistics Prompt Action
The creation of this center is a direct response to alarming data uncovered by Zscaler's research arm, ThreatLabz India, which highlighted the escalating cyber peril facing the nation. Their findings reveal that approximately 1.2 million hacking attempts have targeted 58 Indian digital entities, originating from over 20,000 distinct sources. Furthermore, cyber campaigns exploiting regional geopolitical tensions to assail both government and private sector assets in India have been systematically documented. There has also been a noticeable surge in attacks leveraging previously unknown software vulnerabilities to infiltrate systems.
"Through the AI & Cyber Threat Research Center – India, we will deploy the unparalleled capabilities of the world's largest security cloud to shield the nation's public and private sectors. By merging actionable intelligence from more than 500 billion daily transactions with deep local expertise, we are not merely building readiness; we are empowering a new generation of cyber defenders to consistently outpace adversaries," emphasized Jay Chaudhry, CEO, Chairman, and Founder of Zscaler.
Synergistic Collaboration: A Powerful "Research-to-Response" Loop
This partnership establishes a unique and potent "research-to-response" operational cycle. Zscaler contributes its massive global security cloud, which analyzes over 500 billion transactions each day to identify and track emerging global threat trends. Concurrently, Bharti Airtel provides critical visibility into India's enormous mobile and Internet of Things (IoT) traffic patterns. This fusion of global intelligence with localized network insights creates a formidable defense mechanism specifically tailored to protect essential sectors such as banking, energy, and telecommunications from the growing menace of AI-powered cyberattacks.
