Gurugram (India), October 6, 2025: Airtel Business has secured a multi-year contract from Indian Railway Security Operations Centre (IRSOC) to deliver comprehensive, industry-leading security services to safeguard the digital backbone of India’s railway network.
The country’s railway services are a vital national asset that operate over 13,000 trains daily, serve more than 20 million commuters and enable millions of digital transactions each day, while transporting over 1.5 billion tons of freight annually. Safeguarding this immense flow of critical data including sensitive customer identities, payment details, as well as key operational databases for ticketing, train tracking, freight and signalling is crucial in today’s era of intensifying cyber threats.
With advanced and centralised security controls, Airtel Business will build multi-layer protection to secure the expansive database of the railways. Ensuring a resilient and compliant secure backend, Airtel Business will also safeguard the end-to-end digital operations of the country’s railway services, which include 160,000 employees distributed across 26 locations.
The technology stack will include market leader technologies along with cutting-edge Make in India cybersecurity products, and deliver a sovereign, fully compliant and AI-embedded security ecosystem tailored for critical infrastructure protection.
Sharat Sinha, CEO & Director – Airtel Business, said “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. We are honoured to be chosen by IRSOC as their trusted partner to fortify the security of India’s most complex and large-scale digital infrastructure with vast railway networks and databases. Our robust security layer will advance security efficiency in ticketing and data management, shield all railway digital operations from evolving cyber threats while delivering safe and seamless digital services to millions of daily railway commuters.”
Dilip Kumar, EDIP — Railway Board, said “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. The establishment of IRSOC will help in providing a centralised Security Operations Centre to continuously monitor IR assets, detect and respond to cyber security threats efficiently, gather threat intelligence and 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.”
With Airtel Secure, Indian Railway will benefit from a centralised security architecture that delivers:
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About Bharti Airtel
Headquartered in India, Airtel is a global communications solutions provider with over 600 million customers in 15 countries across India and Africa. The company also has its presence in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka through its associate entities. The company ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally and its networks cover over two billion people. Airtel is India’s largest integrated communications solutions provider and the second largest mobile operator in Africa. Airtel’s retail portfolio includes high-speed 4G/5G mobile, Wi-Fi (FTTH+ FWA) that promises speeds up to 1 Gbps with convergence across linear and on-demand entertainment, video streaming services, digital payments and financial services. For enterprise customers, Airtel offers a gamut of solutions that includes secure connectivity, cloud and data centre services, cyber security, IoT, and cloud-based communication. Airtel’s digital arm – Xtelify, empowers telcos globally to leverage the power of AI, data and technology to accelerate their digital transformation and drive growth. Xtelify also offers Airtel Cloud in India enabling enterprises with a sovereign, telco-grade cloud platform that guarantees secure migration, effortless scaling, lower costs and no vendor lock-ins. Within its diversified portfolio, Airtel also offers passive infrastructure services through its subsidiary Indus Tower Ltd. For more details visit www.airtel.com
About Indian Railways
Indian Railways is India’s national, state-owned rail network operating under the Ministry of Railways. It is the world’s fourth largest rail system, with over 135,000 km of track and service to more than 7,000 stations. Employing over 1.2 million people, it serves billions of passengers and transports millions of tonnes of freight annually, making it a backbone of national connectivity and commerce. Nearly 99% of its broad-gauge routes had been electrified by early 2025, and the network is rapidly modernizing with projects such as high-speed Vande Bharat Express trains, new station redevelopments, and digital initiatives like the IRCTC SwaRail app for easier booking and travel management. For more information visit https://indianrailways.gov.in