Veeam Leads Cyber and AI Readiness Initiative In North-East

Veeam® Software,  the Data and AI Trust Company brought together government, academia, and industry at the Bharat Cyber Suraksha – North-East Cyber Resilience & AI Transformation Summit in Guwahati. The event marks a major step in strengthening cyber resilience, digital trust, and readiness for artificial intelligence (AI) across India’s North-Eastern states.  As data becomes more valuable to organizations, cyber risks are increasing. Ninety percent of affected companies report attempts to access or corrupt backup data, underscoring the need for visibility and protection that extends beyond basic prevention.

A key highlight was the launch of the “Bharat Cyber Suraksha – North-East Cyber Resilience & Digital Readiness Report 2025,” a data-driven assessment with practical recommendations to enhance cybersecurity, protect citizen data, build skills pipelines, and improve cloud and digital infrastructure. The report, developed in collaboration with the Northeast India Public Policy Forum, gives institutions a clear roadmap to improve incident response, comply with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) and Computer Emergency Response Team–India (CERT-In) requirements, and lay secure foundations for governance and services powered by artificial intelligence.

To support university-led skills development, Veeam exchanged Memorandums of Intent with Assam Science and Technology University, Assam Don Bosco University, and Assam Down Town University. The agreements will establish Cyber Resilience Centers of Excellence, integrate cybersecurity and artificial intelligence courses aligned with industry needs, and develop job-ready talent across the region. The initiative aims to build universities into hubs of digital trust while meeting growing demand for skilled cyber and artificial intelligence professionals.

The Summit also launched the “Bharat Cyber Suraksha – Main Hoon Saksham” awareness and skilling drive in collaboration with Women in Cloud, NxtGen and other ecosystem partners. This program will reach universities and institutions across the region, offering cyber awareness, hands-on training and artificial intelligence-enabled security skills to students and faculty, and building a secure, skilled workforce in Northeast India.

Sandeep Bhambure, Vice President & Managing Director, India & South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Veeam Software, said, “India’s digital expansion is rapidly extending beyond metros, and the North-East represents a critical frontier for secure and AI-led growth. As digital services scale across governance, education, and enterprise ecosystems, cyber resilience must become foundational. Recent Ministry of Home Affairs data shows over 47,000 reported cyber incidents across the eight North-Eastern states, highlighting the urgency of region-specific resilience frameworks. By launching the North-East Cyber Resilience Report, partnering with leading universities, and flagging off Main Hoon Saksham, we are combining structured resilience frameworks such as the Veeam Data Resiliency Maturity Model (DRMM), skilling, and awareness to help institutions across the region become cyber-ready, AI-ready, and future-ready. A Cyber-Surakshit North-East is integral to building a truly Viksit and digitally sovereign Bharat.”

Dr. Jeevan Basavaraj, Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Secretary, Department of Innovation, Incubation, and Startup, Government of Assam, said, “Assam is strengthening its innovation and digital governance ecosystem at a rapid pace. Ensuring resilience, trusted data systems, and AI-ready talent will be key to sustaining this momentum. The Bharat Cyber Suraksha Summit provides an important platform for government, academia, and industry to collaborate on securing the North-East’s digital future and positioning Guwahati as a strategic technology hub.”

Chaitra Vedullapalli, Co-founder & President, Women in Cloud said, “India’s digital acceleration must be matched with inclusive cyber resilience and AI readiness at the grassroots. We believe universities are the backbone of digital trust and innovation. By collaborating across government, academia, and industry, we are building scalable cyber and AI talent pipelines aligned with real-world industry needs. The North-East holds immense untapped potential to emerge as a powerful innovation and talent hub. Through the ‘Bharat Cyber Suraksha – Main Hoon Saksham’ initiative, we are committed to enabling the entire ecosystem with access to global skilling frameworks, industry pathways, and AI-powered security capabilities."

The Summit builds on Veeam’s Bharat Cyber Suraksha – Saksham Bharat mission, which aims to skill over 100,000 professionals in data protection, ransomware recovery, and cybersecurity powered by AI; establish more than 100 Cyber Resilience Centres of Excellence; and enable certifications and job pathways in cybersecurity and development, security, and operations (DevSecOps). This is part of Veeam’s national commitment to drive the “6 Ps” of a cyber-resilient India: Partnerships, People, Platforms, Policy, Progress, and Purpose. By extending this mission to the North-East, Veeam supports India’s digital transformation to be secure, inclusive, and resilient in every region.