Kanpur, 27 July, 2024: – The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK), and the National Power Training Institute (NPTI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the objective of strong collaboration towards enhancing the research and training capabilities in the domain of cyber security for the power grid in India. The signing and exchange ceremony took place at the C3iHub, IIT Kanpur, and was graced by distinguished dignitaries, including Prof. Tarun Gupta, Dean of R&D, IIT Kanpur; Dr. Tripta Thakur, Director General of NPTI; and Prof. Sandeep Shukla, Project Director, C3iHub, IIT Kanpur.

This partnership aims to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for establishing an OT (Operations Technology) and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System) Cyber Security Lab at NPTI. These systems are differentiated from the IT systems of power systems operations organizations such as power distribution utilities or power generation and transmission companies, and the cyber security of these systems is very important in today’s cyber threat environment.

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, stressed the importance of this collaboration, stating, "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, emphasized the potential impact of the Lab on enhancing the skills of power sector professionals. She 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."

Prof. Tarun Gupta, Dean of R&D, IIT Kanpur, said , "I believe IIT Kanpur can play a pivotal role in modernizing the national power system and ensuring its long-term sustainability and efficiency by leveraging its strong academic foundation, cutting-edge research capabilities, and robust industry connections."

This MoU marks a pivotal milestone towards fortifying the cyber security infrastructure of India's power grid, underscoring the collective commitment of IIT Kanpur and NPTI to advance the nation's technological capabilities and resilience.

About IIT Kanpur:

Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur was established in 1959 and declared to be an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India through an Act of Parliament. IIT Kanpur is best known for the highest standard of its education in science and engineering and seminal R&D contributions over the years. The institute has a sprawling lush green campus spread over 1050 acres with large pool of academic and research resources spanning across 19 departments, 25 centers and 3 interdisciplinary programs in engineering, science, design, humanities, and management disciplines with more than 580 full-time faculty members and approximately 9000 students.

For more information, visit www.iitk.ac.in.