Airtel Business Awarded Multi-Year IRSOC Contract to Secure Indian Railways’ Digital Operations

Airtel Business has secured a multi-year contract with the Indian Railway Security Operations Centre (IRSOC) to protect and strengthen the digital infrastructure of India’s railway network.

The partnership will provide 24x7 protection for critical IT systems, ensuring safe and uninterrupted digital services for over 1 billion Indians, the company said in a press statement.

As per the company’s data, the Indian Railways operates more than 13,000 trains daily, serves over 20 million passengers, and handles millions of digital transactions, including ticket bookings, payments, train tracking, and freight management. Protecting sensitive data such as customer identities, payment information, and operational databases is crucial amid rising cyber threats.

Airtel Business will design, implement, and operate a multi-layered security system using leading technologies and Made-in-India cybersecurity solutions. The system will provide a fully compliant, AI-enabled security framework for the railways’ 160,000 employees across 26 locations.

“At Airtel Business, we understand that in today’s times of escalating cyber risks that threaten operational continuity, data integrity and passenger safety, advanced defense mechanisms play a critical role,” said Sharat Sinha, CEO & director of Airtel Business.

The security framework will feature centralised monitoring, providing real-time oversight of all systems across 26 locations. It will incorporate AI-driven endpoint protection to continuously monitor and defend all devices, alongside patch and vulnerability management to track and secure over 190,000 critical assets. 

Next-generation threat detection powered by AI will predict and neutralise risks within seconds, while proactive threat intelligence will monitor activities such as dark web analysis. Additionally, robust network and access controls will safeguard mission-critical applications.

“Due to the increased reliance on digital information and communication technologies for operations, maintenance, production and procurement of assets, cyber security is of the utmost importance,” Dilip Kumar, EDIP, Railway Board, added.

The establishment of IRSOC will also ensure proper collaboration with National Cyber Security Agencies. Further, streamlining the operation and maintenance of information technology-related assets will improve service delivery and safeguard the interests of passengers by providing uninterrupted services.