New Delhi [India], August 27 : The Indian Army's Territorial Army, in collaboration with IIT Madras, Indian Army Research Cell (IARC) and CyberPeace, is conducting Indian Army Terrier Cyber Quest 2025, a national-level challenge designed to address real defence and cybersecurity threats, the Ministry of Defence said in a release on Wednesday.
The event will be held in New Delhi.
According to the release, the initiative, advertised on the Indian Army website (www.indianarmy.nic.in/terriercyberquest/2025.pdf), seeks to unite India's brightest minds from academia, industry, and government to confront modern defence challenges through technology.
The Cyber Quest will foster innovation and collaboration in critical domains, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Quantum Computing, and Drone Technology. It underlines the growing importance of a robust digital defence strategy and serves as a call to action for skilled individuals to become warriors on the digital battlefield, as stated in the release.
The competition features two key challenges to build stronger systems for India using AI and ML, offering participants a unique platform to contribute to national security directly:
Track One: Bug Hunting Challenge - A high-stakes cybersecurity hackathon culminating in a 36-hour live bug hunt on the BOSS Linux system. Finalists will uncover OS-level vulnerabilities in a simulated Indian Army environment, helping to build stronger systems for the nation.
Track Two: Datathon - A data-centric challenge designed to test participants' ability to build robust technological solutions for defence and national security. The 2025 focus is on predictive threat intelligence and anomaly detection using large-scale datasets.
The event schedule is as follows: Registration will be open from July 23 to September 7, 2025. The Preliminary Round is scheduled for September 8-17, 2025. The Grand Finale will take place from September 24 to 26, 2025, followed by the Award Ceremony on October 7, 2025.
The event will also provide cutting-edge problem statements at the intersection of AI, Quantum Computing, and Cybersecurity. Challenges such as detecting drone flight anomalies and identifying quantum-enhanced malware/ransomware will enable participants to develop advanced, real-time detection systems. The initiative aims to promote indigenous innovation in quantum machine learning, foster critical thinking, and generate prototype solutions that can strengthen national security and defence technology infrastructure.
In the Grand Finale, Track One finalists will engage in an attack-defence style challenge focused on critical infrastructure hacking and defence, while Track Two finalists will have 36 hours to develop a fully functional deepfake detection system using AI and ML.
Winners will be honoured by the Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi and will also receive exciting prizes, recognising their innovative solutions and contributions to national security.
Desirous participants may register through the official website of the Indian Army at www.indianarmy.nic.in/terriercyberquest/2025.pdf. Registration will remain open till 07 September 2025.