Karnataka plans to explore partnerships with Israel in cybersecurity innovation, startups, talent development, research, and protection of critical digital infrastructure, IT/BT secretary N Manjula said on Wednesday at the Karantaka-Israel Cyber Dialogue 2026.

A delegation of 10 Israeli cybersecurity companies participated in the programme, and gave technology demonstrations and held meetings with Karnataka-based companies and startups.

"Cybersecurity is no longer exclusively a technology issue. It is an economic imperative, a governance priority, and a fundamental requirement for building trust in the digital future," Manjula said.

The state has also established the Centre for Cybersecurity Karnataka (CySecK) for cybersecurity awareness, skilling, startup incubation, and collaboration.

Israel's consul general to south India, Orli Weitzman, said the two sides could combine Israel's cybersecurity expertise with Karnataka's technology talent, research capabilities, and startup ecosystem.

The two sides have also undertaken knowledge exchanges involving Tel Aviv University.

Karnataka is exploring further engagement with the global cybersecurity ecosystem, including the possibility of Bengaluru hosting a leading global cybersecurity event, Cybertech.

Recommendations from the discussions are to be compiled into a white paper for future cybersecurity policy considerations in Karnataka.