: Press Release | Cyber Security Emerges as a Fundamental Pillar of Business Resilience and Competitiveness | 31st July 2026
Ms Priya Pansare, Director, Trade and Investment Promotion; Dr.C.P.Johnson, Senior Director,
C-DAC Mumbai; Shri Amol Suroshe, Program Director, Cyber Security, C-DAC Mumbai
Mumbai, July 31, 2026: All India Association of Industries (AIAI) in association with the MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai, and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Mumbai, organised a seminar on “Strengthening Cyber Security for MSMEs” to enhance awareness on emerging cyber threats and equip enterprises with practical strategies to strengthen their digital resilience. The seminar brought together industry leaders, technology experts, entrepreneurs, exporters, MSMEs and professionals to deliberate on the growing importance of cyber security in today’s digital economy.
Dr. Vijay Kalantri, President, All India Association of Industries, and Chairman, World Trade Center Mumbai said, “Cyber security has become a strategic business priority in an increasingly digital economy. Today, over 86% of Indian households \ have internet access, India is among the world’s largest digital economies, and billions of UPI transactions are processed every month, making digital payments an integral part of everyday business. As businesses embrace digital payments, cloud computing, ecommerce and online banking, they also become more vulnerable to cyber threats.”
“This is particularly important for our MSME sector. MSMEs contribute nearly 30% of India’s GDP and around 45% of India’s exports. As the backbone of the Indian economy, they must strengthen their preparedness through employee awareness, robust cyber hygiene, data protection and the adoption of best security practices.” added Dr. Kalantri.
C-DAC senior officials Dr. C.P. Johnson and Shri Amol Suroshe said that C-DAC has a four-decade legacy as a premier research and development organisation under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, with contributions across high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, cyber security, digital governance, healthcare and education. They referred to C-DAC’s involvement in key national initiatives, including Chandrayaan, the Aditya Mission, e-Sanjeevani, the Digital Census and various e-Governance platforms. Addressing the growing sophistication of AI-driven cyber threats, they urged MSMEs to view cyber security as a strategic investment and adopt a structured framework covering risk assessment, regulatory compliance, third-party risks, continuous monitoring and employee awareness. They also stressed the importance of collaboration among government, industry and academia in building a resilient cyber ecosystem.
Ms. Priya Pansare, Director, Trade, Investment & International Relations, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai, said, “While digitalisation has unlocked unprecedented opportunities for businesses, it has also significantly increased their exposure to cyber risks. Cyber security is therefore no longer merely an IT concern; it has become a business imperative and a key element of organisational resilience and competitiveness.”
“As India advances towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, digital trust will emerge as a key competitive advantage. Enterprises with strong cyber security practices will be better positioned to build customer confidence, attract investment and integrate seamlessly into global value chains.” The seminar witnessed active participation from entrepreneurs, exporters, MSMEs, industry professionals and students, who engaged in interactive discussions with the experts on cyber security challenges, regulatory developments, cyber hygiene practices and practical approaches to strengthening organisational cyber resilience.
The programme concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, during which participants engaged with the experts on practical cyber security challenges and preventive measures. World Trade Center Mumbai reiterated its commitment to strengthening cyber awareness, digital resilience and the competitiveness of MSMEs through continued capacity-building initiatives and collaboration with C-DAC Mumbai.
Regards,
Sangeeta Jain
Senior Director
All India Association of Industries (AIAI)