By Sitaram Mewati l Mumbai
As cyber threats continue to evolve alongside India’s rapid digital transformation, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai, in association with the All India Association of Industries (AIAI) and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Mumbai, organised a seminar on “Strengthening Cyber Security for MSMEs” to raise awareness about emerging cyber risks and equip enterprises with practical strategies to enhance 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 and the need for businesses to adopt proactive measures to safeguard their operations.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Vijay Kalantri, Chairman, World Trade Center Mumbai, and President, All India Association of Industries, said cyber security has become a strategic business priority rather than merely an IT concern. He noted that with over 86 percent of Indian households having internet access and billions of UPI transactions processed every month, digital payments, cloud computing, e-commerce and online banking have become integral to business operations, while also increasing exposure to cyber threats.
Highlighting the importance of securing the MSME sector, Dr. Kalantri said these enterprises contribute nearly 30 percent of India’s GDP and around 45 percent of the country’s exports. He urged businesses to strengthen employee awareness, improve cyber hygiene, protect critical data and adopt best security practices to remain resilient in an increasingly digital business environment.
C-DAC officials Dr. C.P. Johnson and Shri Amol Suroshe outlined the organisation’s four-decade legacy as a premier research and development institution under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. They referred to C-DAC’s contributions to key national initiatives, including Chandrayaan, the Aditya Mission, e-Sanjeevani, the Digital Census and several e-Governance platforms.
The officials observed that artificial intelligence is reshaping the cyber threat landscape, making attacks more sophisticated and challenging to detect. They encouraged MSMEs to treat cyber security as a strategic investment by adopting structured frameworks covering risk assessment, regulatory compliance, third-party risk management, continuous monitoring and employee awareness. They also emphasised the need for closer collaboration among government, industry and academia to build a resilient cyber ecosystem.
Ms. Priya Pansare, Director, Trade, Investment and International Relations, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai, said digitalisation has created significant growth opportunities but has also increased cyber risks for businesses. She noted that cyber security has emerged as a key pillar of organisational resilience and competitiveness. As India progresses towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, she said, enterprises with strong cyber security practices will be better positioned to build customer confidence, attract investment and integrate into global value chains.
The seminar concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, where participants discussed cyber security challenges, regulatory developments and preventive measures with experts. World Trade Center Mumbai reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cyber awareness, digital resilience and the competitiveness of MSMEs through continued capacity-building initiatives in collaboration with C-DAC Mumbai.
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