New Delhi, May 5 — India’s cybersecurity apparatus is on heightened alert following claims by a Pakistan-linked hacker group that it has accessed sensitive data from key defence institutions, officials confirmed on Monday amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack.
The alert was triggered after a handle on X, formerly Twitter, under the name “Pakistan Cyber Force,” alleged it had breached the Indian Military Engineering Service (MES) and the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA).
“The claim suggests a possible compromise of personal information and login credentials of defence personnel,” officials said.
As a precautionary measure, officials said the website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, was taken offline for a comprehensive audit.
“The move is aimed at assessing any possible damage and ensuring the website’s integrity following an attempted defacement,” an official said.
Sources said the AVNL website had been targeted with visual elements including the Pakistan flag and images of the ‘Al Khalid’ tank—symbols intended to assert the hackers’ identity and motives.
“Cybersecurity experts and agencies are continuously monitoring the digital space to detect and respond to further intrusion attempts, especially those that may be state-sponsored,” a senior official said.
Authorities have since launched an ongoing surveillance effort to trace and neutralize emerging threats.
“We are taking necessary steps to reinforce cyber infrastructure, strengthen digital defences and improve overall resilience,” the official added.
The proactive approach includes deeper audits, real-time monitoring systems, and strategic enhancements to ensure that critical defence platforms remain secure.