HYDERABAD, OCTOBER 31, 2026: In a decisive move to strengthen its long-term operational preparedness against asymmetric aerial threats, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TiHAN (Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad today.
The agreement was formalised at the IIT Hyderabad campus by Smt. Harpreet Kaur Sohi, Inspector General and Director of the National Industrial Security Academy (NISA), and Prof. (Dr.) Rajlakshmi P., Project Director, TiHAN. The signing ceremony was also attended by Sh. Anil Damor, DIG NISA, Sh. Anil Kumar, Commandant (Adm) NISA, Sh. Savitoj Singh Gill, AIG NCR Zone, and the distinguished faculty of TiHAN.
This strategic partnership is closely aligned with the recent structural reset within the CISF, which has shifted its command structure from traditional territorial boundaries to dedicated, sector-specific commands covering critical infrastructure such as power, petroleum, coal, and ports. As unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and drones emerge as severe threats to these complex industrial ecosystems, this MoU ensures that the Force develops the institutional expertise and specialised knowledge necessary to assess risks and protect interconnected national assets.
Under the ambit of this collaboration, Assistant Commandant probationers and Sub-Inspector trainees at NISA will undergo specialised short-duration capsule courses at TiHAN. Trainees will gain hands-on exposure to drone assembly, flight operations, and advanced autonomous systems research in TiHAN’s laboratories. Furthermore, TiHAN will provide essential academic and technical support to the CISF’s upcoming Centre of Excellence for Drone and Anti-Drone Technology at the Recruit Training Centre (RTC) in Behror, Rajasthan.
Elaborating on the strategic objectives of the collaboration, Smt. Harpreet Kaur Sohi, IG and Director NISA, stated: “This MoU will significantly increase specialisation within the force, directly supporting our newly formed functional sector pattern of supervision. By embedding advanced academic research into our training frameworks, we are creating a dynamic, knowledge-based ecosystem in the CISF. This ensures our personnel are not just guarding vital assets, but are equipped with the intelligence-led, technical expertise required to anticipate and neutralise future threats.”
The MoU with IIT Hyderabad is part of a larger, sustained drive by the CISF to integrate with India’s premier academic and technological institutions to maintain operational superiority. In recent months, the Force has built a formidable knowledge network by signing multiple strategic MoUs. These include agreements with IIT Kanpur (focusing on cybersecurity and anti-drone capabilities), IIT Ropar (to develop a specialised cyber security cadre for aviation infrastructure), the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) (to train personnel in artificial intelligence, drone tech, and cybersecurity), Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) (for cyber defence training), and the Indian Maritime University (for advanced port and maritime security capacity building).
Welcoming the partnership, Prof. (Dr.) Rajlakshmi P. noted that this synergy will translate TiHAN’s advanced autonomous research into everyday operational utility for the CISF, directly advancing the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision in critical security technologies.
By transitioning its traditional guarding model into an intelligence-led, risk-based approach, the CISF continues to demonstrate its commitment to remaining at the vanguard of national security. This knowledge-driven ecosystem will ensure that India’s economic resilience and critical infrastructure remain secure against conventional and contemporary disruptions.
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