NPCI and IDRBT Partnered to Strengthen Cyber Resilience in India’s Digital Payments Landscape

Strategic MoU paved the way for training, certification, and threat intelligence to fortify digital payments ecosystem

In a landmark collaboration aimed at fortifying India’s fast-growing digital payments infrastructure, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly advance payment security and cyber resilience.

This partnership brought together two key institutions in India’s banking and fintech ecosystem to develop, implement, and promote strategic initiatives focused on cybersecurity, data privacy, and incident response preparedness. With the increasing sophistication of cyber threats globally, this alliance was seen as a proactive move to bolster digital defenses and build industry-wide capabilities in threat mitigation.

Collaborative Training and Certifications

As part of the MoU, NPCI and IDRBT agreed to jointly conduct specialised training programmes for professionals working in technology and cybersecurity roles across the banking and digital payments sector. These programs aimed to bridge skill gaps in areas like cybersecurity governance, payment infrastructure protection, and regulatory compliance, addressing the critical need for trained cyber professionals in India’s booming digital economy.

In a significant outcome of the partnership, the two institutions also announced the development of a customised, NPCI-certified Payment Security Certification Programme. This course would be aligned with evolving industry needs and global regulatory frameworks. The certification was intended not only to create a benchmark of cyber skills but also to equip professionals with practical knowledge to secure payment platforms and protect sensitive data.

Real-Time Threat Intelligence: सचेत (IBCART 3.0)

Another cornerstone of the MoU was the extension of IDRBT’s threat intelligence platform, सचेत (IBCART 3.0), to NPCI and its ecosystem partners. सचेत would deliver diverse, enriched, and contextualised threat intelligence feeds, empowering stakeholders to make informed, timely decisions to fend off emerging cyber threats.

This strategic integration of real-time intelligence into the core of India’s payment architecture was expected to enhance situational awareness, enable early detection of vulnerabilities, and support robust incident response mechanisms across the payments landscape.

Leadership Comments

Mr. Dilip Asbe, MD and CEO of NPCI, expressed confidence in the partnership’s long-term impact, stating:

“We are happy to partner with IDRBT to advance payment security and cyber resilience across the digital payment ecosystem in India. Strengthening cyber resilience is not just about technology, but also about people and preparedness. Our partnership with IDRBT will enable structured capacity building across the ecosystem through training, certifications, and sharing threat intelligence. This collaboration reinforces NPCI’s commitment to proactive risk management and elevating security standards across digital payments.”

Dr. Deepak Kumar, Director of IDRBT, added:

“This MoU with NPCI will strengthen the broader payment ecosystem by promoting a culture of security awareness, capability-building, and proactive response. The subscription to सचेत (IBCART 3.0) will provide enriched and contextualised threat intelligence to NPCI and its partners, further improving the robustness and resilience of the ecosystem. IDRBT remains committed to strengthening India’s digital public infrastructure through innovation and capacity building.”

About NPCI

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is a central institution established by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) to manage India’s retail payment and settlement systems. It plays a pivotal role in the development of a robust, inclusive, and technologically advanced digital payments ecosystem.

NPCI is best known for pioneering innovations like Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC), National Automated Clearing House (NACH), Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS), RuPay, and e-RUPI. These platforms have reshaped how millions of Indians conduct transactions and access financial services, contributing significantly to financial inclusion and economic digitisation.

NPCI operates as a “not-for-profit” entity, underscoring its commitment to service, efficiency, and innovation. With three wholly-owned subsidiaries—NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL), and NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL)—NPCI continues to scale new frontiers, including cross-border payments and advanced digital utility solutions.

About IDRBT

Established by the Reserve Bank of India in 1996, the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) serves as a think tank and technology enabler for the Indian banking and financial services sector. The institute’s key areas of focus include research, training, innovation, and consultancy in banking technology and cybersecurity.

Over the years, IDRBT has developed pioneering technologies and platforms such as INFINET, SFMS, NEFT, the National Financial Switch, and more recently, the Indian Banking Community Cloud (IBCC) and the revamped IBCART platform (सचेत). It also serves as a Certifying Authority for digital certificates in the financial ecosystem.

IDRBT regularly convenes forums for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), Chief Information Officers (CIOs), and Chief Analytics Officers (CAOs), nurturing collaboration across banking leadership and driving strategic tech adoption. Admissions for its flagship postgraduate program in Financial Technology for the July 2025 batch are now open.