Indian Army launches Terrier Cyber Quest 2026 hackathon

The Indian Army's Territorial Army, in collaboration with CyberPeace, has launched ‘Terrier Cyber Quest 2026’ (TCQ 3.0), a national-level cybersecurity and technology hackathon. The initiative aims to identify and foster technical talent to develop indigenous solutions for challenges in defense, cybersecurity, and information technology.

The competition features three primary tracks:

• Bug Hunting: Participants will engage in an online ‘Capture-the-Flag’ competition to identify vulnerabilities in simulated national infrastructure environments. • AI Kavach: This track focuses on using artificial intelligence and machine learning to develop automated defense systems and tools for early threat detection. • National Creators Challenge: Aimed at content creators and communication experts, this track seeks to develop digital campaigns to raise awareness against deepfakes, phishing, online fraud, and disinformation.

Registration is open until August 31, 2026. Following an online shortlisting phase from September 1 to September 10, selected teams will compete in a 36-hour grand finale in New Delhi from October 6 to October 8. An award ceremony will be held on October 9.