About USI of India: 

In the last 150 years since its inception, the USI of India has emerged as India’s pre-eminent think tank  on matters of national security. The initial aim of establishing the USI was, ‘Furtherance of interest and  knowledge in the art, science and literature of the Defence Services’. During the pre-independence  period, the USI had played a leading role in shaping the strategic thought of the British Empire — not  only on how to rule India but also in generating informed policy debates on its expeditionary forays in  the strategic neighbourhood of Afghanistan, Tibet, China, Burma and elsewhere. Post-independence, the  USI has transformed into a typical track 1.5 institution that has rendered ‘yeoman’ service in developing  strategic culture amongst the policy-makers and strategic community of modern India. The USI has  acquired a unique multi-disciplinary character vis-à-vis other think tanks in terms of its activities, which  range from historical research to publications of diverse literature, career progression of military officers,  and a niche in net assessment, scenario building and strategic gaming. 

The USI-ANBI is an initiative that seeks to bridge the gap between the domestic defence sector  (MSMEs) and the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) by providing them with a platform to  communicate and build, make self-reliance a reality on the postulates of trust, partnership and growth.

USI-ANBI intends to work with industrial partners with the highest levels of ethics, trust and  confidentiality since its members have been part of the Indian Armed Forces and other government  agencies, having served the nation with utmost sincerity. 

About UNSW Sydney: 

UNSW’s strategic priorities actively address the challenges we face today - from climate change and  renewable energies to lifesaving medical treatments and breakthrough technologies. We aim to make an  impact on people’s lives around the world. In 2020, UNSW evolved its motto to “Scientia corde mente  et manu” - Knowledge by Heart, Mind and Hand. This is more than just a slogan of renewed values and  aspirations. It captures the fact that we serve a higher purpose, and are committed to serving society  through knowledge-sharing and discovery. 

We have a long-held tradition of sustained innovation, focusing on areas critical to our future - from  tackling the effects of climate change, forging new systems to support society's most vulnerable, to  developing lifesaving medical treatments and breakthrough technologies. In each of their endeavours,  our scholars, researchers and entrepreneurs are committed to expanding, sharing and applying  knowledge that will ignite positive change. 

UNSW has an expanding array of collaborations and initiatives aimed at sparking the innovation that is  needed most. We take a multi-disciplinary approach to collaboration. By connecting external  organisations and community groups to academics, students and entrepreneurs, we advance and optimise  the impact of our research and development.  

From attracting the world's foremost leaders, and the brightest students, and partnering with champions  of industry, government and community - we are proud of the positive impact we are making. 

About CyberPeace: 

CyberPeace is an award-winning global civil society organisation. A think tank of cybersecurity and  policy experts with the vision of pioneering CyberPeace Initiatives to build collective resilience against  CyberCrimes and global threats of cyber warfare. CyberPeace is involved in Policy Advocacy, Research  and Training related to all aspects of CyberPeace and Cyber Security. Key areas of CyberPeace’s work  include Technology Governance, Policy Review and Advocacy, Skill Development, Capacity and 

Capability creation and building through partnerships with various government organisations, academic  institutions and civil society entities. (https://www.cyberpeace.org) Along with this, we also conduct  several online and offline awareness sessions and competitions, to inform, educate and create awareness  among children to create a safe CyberSpace for the upcoming generations.  

Brief overview of the event's purpose 

Recent wars have been characterised by the rising use of misinformation based on tech-based platforms  which go viral and reinforce prejudices across swathes of populations and organisations. The Ukraine  war and the war against Hamas have distinctively laid any debate to rest – misinformation is a low-cost  weapon of choice from individual bad actors to terror organisations and as instruments of state policy.  

India has digitised rapidly and finds itself at the epicentre of such vulnerabilities. From cybercrime to  misinformation, India is now becoming a target of numerous inimical forces, and the armed forces are  at the centre of this storm. None less than the Prime Minister have been victims of the use of deep fakes,  and the threat potential it has during an election year is enormous. 

The workshop will be conducted by professors and experts who deal with the subject from IIT Delhi,  IIT Patna, CyberPeace, Oxford University and the University of New South Wales, Sydney. They are  all Indian-origin professors and are frequently training officials of the Australian and UK Governments and armed forces, who have taken up the issue with great tempo. This will serve as a precursor to more  such training modules in the future.

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