“Cyber Bharat Setu” Workshop Launched in Tripura to Strengthen Cyber Resilience
The Directorate of Information Technology, Government of Tripura, in collaboration with the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under MeitY, organized the national cybersecurity exercise “Cyber Bharat Setu: Bridging States, Securing Bharat” at Pragna Bhavan, Agartala. The two-day event, held on 11–12 November 2025, focused on enhancing cyber awareness, readiness, and response mechanisms at the state level.
The workshop was inaugurated by Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, in the presence of Shri J. K. Sinha, IAS, Chief Secretary of Tripura; Shri Anurag, IPS, Director General of Police, Tripura; Shri Kiran Gitte, IAS, Secretary, IT, Government of Tripura; Dr. Sanjay Bahl, Director General, CERT-In; and Shri Jeya Ragul Geshan B, IFS, Director, IT, Government of Tripura.
Participants included senior government officials, police officers, bankers, IT nodal officers, and students from technical institutes. CERT-In experts conducted hands-on sessions and interactive exercises to improve cyber crisis response and organizational preparedness.
During the workshop, the Tripura Cyber Security Policy 2025 (TCSP 2.0) was officially launched. The policy aims to build a resilient, citizen-centric cybersecurity framework for the state, emphasizing institutional coordination, innovation, and proactive defence strategies.
The event also marked the launch of the Tripura Cyber Security Awareness Month 2025 (TCSAM 2025) campaign, themed “Cyber Jagrit Tripura.” A new mascot, “Raksha Mitra,” was unveiled to promote cyber hygiene and awareness. The month-long campaign will include a range of activities and training programs across the state to promote safe online practices among citizens, students, and government employees.
UIDAI to Use Behavioural Insights for Enhancing Aadhaar Biometric Updates for Children
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has announced a new partnership with Behavioural Insights Limited (BIT) to improve the adoption of the Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU) for children. This initiative follows the waiver of all charges for MBU, aiming to simplify and encourage biometric updates for children aged 5 and 15 years.
The collaboration seeks to address behavioural, logistical, and awareness-related challenges that hinder timely Aadhaar updates. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Ms. Tanusree Deb Barma, DDG, UIDAI, and Mr. Ravi Gurumurthy, Group CEO of BIT, in the presence of Mr. Bhuvnesh Kumar, CEO, UIDAI.
Mr. Kumar highlighted that aligning technology with human behaviour transforms digital identity into a seamless and empowering experience. Rachel Coyle, CEO of BIT, emphasized that evidence-based behavioural approaches can significantly enhance update compliance and ensure broader access to public services.
As part of this citizen-centric measure, UIDAI has waived MBU charges for children aged 7 to 15 years for one year, starting from 1 October 2025. The initiative is expected to benefit nearly 6 crore children across the country by facilitating easier updates of biometric data required for continued access to Aadhaar-linked services.
MeitY Issues SOP to Strengthen Action Against Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery Content
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has released a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) to prevent and remove Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery (NCII) content shared online. This SOP, issued in compliance with the Madras High Court’s order (W.P. Civil No. 25017/2025 dated 15 July 2025), provides clear victim-centric guidelines to ensure swift and uniform action.
Key Features of the SOP
- Multiple Reporting Channels: Victims can seek help from One Stop Centres, grievance officers of intermediaries, the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), or local law enforcement agencies. The 1930 helpline is also available for direct assistance.
- Mandatory 24-Hour Takedown: Intermediaries must remove or disable access to flagged content within 24 hours. Significant Social Media Intermediaries are required to use hash-matching technologies to prevent reuploads of the same or similar content.
- Inter-Agency Coordination: The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre under the Ministry of Home Affairs will maintain a secure NCII hash bank, while the Department of Telecommunications will coordinate URL blocking with Internet Service Providers. MeitY will oversee compliance and coordination among stakeholders.
The SOP reinforces the government’s commitment to digital dignity, privacy, and safety by empowering individuals, especially women, to reclaim control over their digital identities and ensuring consistent enforcement across online platforms.