Critical digital infrastructure is increasingly a target in modern conflicts. In the light of recent events in West Asia, discuss its implications for India's security planning.

India's IT Act treats Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) as computer systems whose loss would cripple national security, the economy or public safety [1]. The 2026 US–Israel–Iran war shows that such assets are now frontline targets. India must therefore treat digital resilience as a core part of national security.

West Asia: digital infrastructure as a battlefield

• Targeting doctrine: Iran told the UN Security Council that it treats the bases, facilities and assets of hostile forces in the region as legitimate military objectives [2]. Cloud and data facilities linked to US firms in the Gulf were reportedly hit.
• Host-state exposure: Hosting foreign digital or military assets brings war onto one's own soil. The UN Secretary-General condemned Iran's strikes on seven Gulf and Arab states as violations of their sovereignty [3].
• Cascading effects: Data, energy and logistics systems depend on one another. India itself opposed attacks on energy infrastructure [4].

Implications for India's security planning

• Gulf-linked digital economy: About 1 crore Indians live in GCC countries [5]. Indian IT services, payment links and remittance channels depend on Gulf data hubs, so damage there directly hurts India.
• Cyber-physical risk: India imports about 60% of its LPG, and roughly 90% of it passes through Hormuz [6]. Refinery, port and grid control systems become high-value cyber targets in a wider war.
• Undersea cables: Much of India's westward internet traffic runs on cables through contested Red Sea–Gulf chokepoints.
• Domestic CII: Banking (UPI), power, telecom and ports could face state-backed or proxy cyberattacks. NCIIPC protects these sectors [1].
• Episodic planning: Crisis reviews, such as the Defence Minister-led Inter-Group of Ministers (IGoM) on West Asia preparedness, have been reactive [7].

Way forward

• Make the IGoM a standing body with a cyber and digital mandate [7].
• Spread data centres across regions and use cable routes and landing stations that avoid chokepoints. Build domestic cable-repair capacity.
• Run regular CII audits and red-team exercises under NCIIPC [1].
• Push for global norms against attacking civilian infrastructure, in line with India's stand on sovereignty and civilian safety [8] and Article 2(4) of the UN Charter [3].

In West Asia, data centres, energy grids and cables have become targets alongside military bases. India should combine domestic resilience, more varied supply and cable routes, and diplomacy built on rules. Protecting critical digital infrastructure would safeguard the security, prosperity and people that the Constitution and SDG 9 call on India to protect.