India has witnessed over 43,000 cyber attacks on its strategic establishments over the past two years since the country had a face-off with China in May/June 2020. Apparently orchestrated by China, these cyber attacks have targeted India’s power grids, banking sector, railway and defence installations.
According to an India Future Foundation report, there have been more than 43,000 cyber attacks by China on India’s sensitive installations in the past two years. The report also said that cyber attacks by China has increased by 200% since the Galwan clashes.
According to defence officials, the Chinese hackers are specifically targeting Indian computers to retrieve information about critical infrastructure of the country and defence installations. These cyber attacks are part of China’s high-tech war against India.
Last year, China had targeted electricity grids in Ladakh and along the Line of Actual Control. Similarly, trains and stock markets in Mumbai, India’s commercial capital, were shut down after a massive power failure, which was attributed to cyber attacks.
According to an Intelligence Bureau report, 11 computers connected to defence and other sensitive installations, including 2 in Delhi, were hacked in November last year in these cyber attacks from China. It has come to the knowledge of the security agencies of the country that there have been consistent attempts to hack computers using 63 web applications. So far, such attempts have largely been foiled.
China is keeping an eye on every bit of information related to defence preparedness of Indian military and especially after clashes in Galwan, it has launched more than 43,000 attacks on critical installations of the country.
According to sources, China is trying to gather information on India’s anti-missile defence system and the deployment of its fighter jets. As an overall strategy of its high-tech war on India, China is using these cyber attacks to hack computers connected not only to defence installations but also to power grids, banking sector, central paramilitary forces and police departments.