editor
Airtel Secure Digital Internet is India’s first fully managed, Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) based cyber protection solution
Airtel Business, the B2B arm of Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), one of India’s leading telecommunications service provider has partnered with Zscaler, a global cloud security leader, to launch ‘Airtel Secure Digital Internet’– India’s first, fully-managed Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) based solution designed to protect enterprises from a wide range of cyber threats.
Strengthening enterprise cybersecurity, ‘Airtel Secure Digital Internet’ is a fully-managed solution that integrates Airtel’s Internet Leased Line (ILL) connectivity with Zscaler’s cloud security technology & Security Service Edge (SSE) technology as well as Zscaler Internet AccessTM (ZIATM) to provide advanced security features such as comprehensive threat protection, SSL inspection, cloud firewall and secure access to cloud applications. Built on the core principle of ‘never trust, always verify the User, Device and Network’ – ‘Airtel Secure Digital Internet’ will enable enterprises in India to navigate the complexities of the digital world by leveraging its unique capabilities in an effective, scalable and cost-efficient manner.
Sharat Sinha, CEO – Airtel Business said, “We are excited to partner with Zscaler to launch ‘Airtel Secure Digital Internet’ – a holistic solution for safeguarding enterprise networks. The cutting-edge solution will ensure that every internet interaction is rigorously verified, authenticated and authorized to deliver a robust layer of security that protects enterprises from evolving cyber threats. Together with Zscaler, we will offer a seamless and secure experience for businesses across India, enabling them to operate with confidence in today’s complex digital environment”.
Anant Nag, Area Vice President, India & SAARC, Zscaler, added “We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Airtel Business to create a solution to help the growing needs of our customer base. Cybersecurity is a critical business priority and enterprises across the market are doubling down on implementing zero trust solutions to keep their organization secured. The inception of this joint solution stemmed from the market needs and growing demand and we are looking forward to helping our customers in their cloud security transformation journeys together with Airtel.”
India is at the forefront of technology innovation and adoption with enterprises, small and large, leading the way on a global scale. However, this exponential growth has also caught the attention of threat actors who are increasingly targeting local entities to launch attacks. For instance, according to ZscalerThreatLabz, in the past year alone, Indian enterprises have seen over 79 million phishing attacks and more than 5 billion encrypted attacks, making India among the top three most-targeted markets globally. Now, more than ever before, it is important for organisations in India to strengthen their cybersecurity while managing multi-vendor security stacks, budget constraints, skill gaps and time-to-market issues.The zero trust architecture of ‘Airtel Secure Digital Internet’ reduces attack surfaces while simplifying security management by centralising policy enforcement. Its inherent cloud-native security ensures consistent protection for users across all locations. The scalable, cloud-based platform also eliminates the need for costly hardware, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing total cost of ownership.
To further optimise its network performance and minimise latency, Airtel has also strategically enhanced its Internet Points of Presence (PoPs) through the integration of Zscaler's advanced security stack. As a distinguished Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) partner of Zscaler, Airtel is equipped to deliver comprehensive managed services, encompassing the entire security lifecycle—from initial deployment to continuous, premium-grade support. Enterprises can now leverage Airtel's extensive, pan-India Internet Leased Line (ILL) connectivity to achieve secure, consistent connectivity across all their office locations. Enterprises also have the flexibility to procure Zscaler SSE as a standalone solution, bundled with Airtel's managed services that can be further tailored for their unique requirements.
