The 21st century has significantly increased the risk of cyber warfare and other cyber threats. The rapid expansion of Internet use has increased vulnerabilities, exposing individuals and systems to unprecedented risks. The Internet and wireless communications are crucial to economic, social, political, and military operations across all domains: land, sea, air, and space. Unlike traditional warfare, cyber warfare operates in its own independent theatre, i.e. cyber space recognized as the fifth domain of warfare after land, air, sea, and space. This domain's infrastructure relies on physical assets, such as microwave links, telecom exchanges, undersea cables, and routers, all of which are safeguarded by traditional military forces. This paper examines cyber warfare as a critical and emerging non-traditional security threat of the 21st century—one that is inherently transnational and unconstrained by geographical boundaries. This paper utilizes both primary and secondary sources to emphasize the importance of understanding cyber warfare and its associated cyber threats, as well as their impact on India’s economy and infrastructure. Furthermore, the paper evaluates India's readiness to address various cyber threats, underscoring the need for robust cybersecurity measures and strategic preparedness in response to this evolving global challenge.

Keywords:
Cybersecurity, Cyberwarfare, Security, 21st Century, India