As Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls for a global framework to tackle Deepfakes and prevent cyber fraud before it reaches consumers, ARIES IITD and Dev Club – student technical clubs from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), have joined hands with Amazon and the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) to launch RAKSHAM – National AI Cybersecurity Hackathon 2026.
The initiative calls on student innovators across the country to build next-generation, AI-powered prototypes that can tackle some of the most pressing cyber threats of our time — from voice-cloning fraud and AI-driven scam pattern recognition to deepfake detection in financial communications. Teams of 2–4 members will compete to deliver solutions evaluated on technical architecture, real-world feasibility, responsible AI practices, and — critically — their potential to scale into tools that protect millions of Indians from evolving cyber scams and frauds.
Prof. Shilpi Sharma, Associate Dean Academics (Outreach and New Initiatives), IIT Delhi, said, “With RAKSHAM, we are putting India’s exceptional student talent at the frontlines of the fight against cyber scams and frauds. This hackathon challenges participants to move beyond concepts and deliver AI-powered prototypes that are technically sound, ethically grounded, and ready for real-world impact. Our partnership with I4C and Amazon underscores a shared conviction — that the next generation of innovators holds the key to building a safer digital India.”
The initiative comes ahead of the festive shopping season, when increased digital activity and consumer transactions can create greater opportunities for fraudsters. It builds on the ongoing collaboration between Amazon and I4C under #ScamSmartIndia, taking the focus from helping consumers recognize and avoid scams to encouraging technology-led approaches to detecting and preventing them.
Nishant Kumar, Director, Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs,Government of India, said, “RAKSHAM, a hackathon, in partnership with IIT-D and Amazon is bringing innovation and technology into the effort to address emerging forms of cybercrime. As AI changes the way fraudsters operate, it is important that we also harness its capabilities for prevention and detection. We are pleased to partner in this initiativewhich engages India’s young technology talent and encourage solutions that can contribute to a safer digital ecosystem.”
Rakesh Bakshi, Vice President – Legal, Amazon India, said, “As we head into the festive season, we know that the increased pace of digital transactions also gives scammers more opportunities to exploit trust and urgency. Awareness remains an important first line of defense, but as the nature of scams evolves, we need to move from awareness to action — and technology has a critical role to play in that journey. RAKSHAM brings together India’s next generation of technology innovators with academia, government and industry to explore how AI can help us stay ahead of AI-enabled scams. This is part of our broader effort to make India Scam Smart and strengthen trust in India’s growing digital economy.”
Registrations and concept submissions are open for all until October 12, 2026.The top 30 teams will advance to a 48-hour in-person finale at IIT Delhi on October 24-25, 2026, where they will build, test and demonstrate their prototypes before an expert jury comprising academic, industry and cybersecurity experts. High-impact solutions and winning teams will also have an opportunity to be showcased at Amazon Sambhav 2026.
The hackathon is hosted by IIT Delhi and supported by Learning Links Foundation, with Amazon providing technical mentorship and technology resources, and I4C contributing cybersecurity expertise and domain perspectives.
