IIT Delhi will host a 36-hour national-level hackathon on cybersecurity, defence AI and digital safety from January 16 to 18, 2026, as part of its annual entrepreneurship conclave BECon’26. The event, called E-Raksha Hackathon 2026, is being organised in collaboration with cybersecurity think tank CyberPeace and will also serve as a pre-summit event for the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
Event overview
IIT Delhi’s Entrepreneurship Development Cell (eDC) and CyberPeace have jointly announced the E-Raksha Hackathon 2026 as a national initiative to tackle emerging challenges in cybersecurity and responsible AI. The on-campus finale will run in a 36-hour format from January 16 to 18 at IIT Delhi, bringing shortlisted teams from across India under one roof.news9live+2
Themes and problem statements
The hackathon will focus on domains such as AI and machine learning, threat detection, blockchain, and secure software development. Problem statements are centred on using agentic AI to secure home Internet of Things (IoT) devices, detect deepfakes, and build deployable solutions to real-world digital safety threats.theweek+2
Objectives and expected outcomes
Organisers aim to encourage student innovators to design practical, scalable tools that address defence-related cybersecurity challenges and strengthen national security. Officials stated that the event is intended to promote responsible AI, digital trust and multidisciplinary collaboration between academia, industry and policy stakeholders.timesofindia.indiatimes+2
Schedule and linkage to India AI Impact Summit
The E-Raksha Hackathon 2026 grand finale will be held at IIT Delhi from January 16–18, while the winning solutions will be showcased at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 10 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. As part of BECon’26, the hackathon also functions as a curtain-raiser for the larger summit, which will highlight AI’s role in India’s digital and security landscape.siasat+3
Participation and incentives
Student teams from universities and institutes across the country are eligible to participate, with earlier registration and abstract-based shortlisting phases conducted prior to the on-site round. Organisers have announced total cash prizes of around Rs 3 lakh for top-performing teams, along with national visibility, mentorship from experts, and opportunities to network with industry leaders and policymakers.