c0c0n 2026, described as the country’s largest cybersecurity conference organised by a state police force, begins in Kochi on Friday with delegates from across India and international agencies, including Interpol. Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala is scheduled to inaugurate the two-day conference at a private hotel in the city at 9.30am.
The conference has been organised by Kerala Police and will bring together participants for sessions on cybersecurity. The report does not provide details of the full agenda, the number of delegates or the specific international agencies attending beyond Interpol.
The event follows the inauguration of Kid Glove, a pre-conference initiative focused on children’s safety in the cyberworld. Chennithala inaugurated the initiative on Thursday and said children should be empowered to recognise and confront negative trends online, just as they are taught to respond to risks in society.
The minister said police action alone could not ensure children’s cyber safety. He called for collective support from parents, teachers and society, placing online safety within a wider network of institutions and community responsibilities rather than treating it solely as a policing issue.
Chennithala also linked the need for greater caution to the rapid development of artificial intelligence. He said that humanity was passing through its greatest era of evolution and that, in an age when AI could think like humans, safety and caution needed to be prioritised.
Kid Glove is one of the innovative cybersafety projects being implemented by Kerala Police, according to the minister. The initiative is being presented as a way to help children identify harmful or negative online trends, although the report does not specify its operating model, target age group, educational material or implementation timeline.
The minister also announced actor Asif Ali as the brand ambassador for Cyber Safe Keralam 2026, an initiative launched by Kerala Police. The programme’s public-facing approach combines police-led cybersecurity work with outreach involving families, schools and wider society.
The conference and associated initiatives come as public institutions, families and schools face expanding questions about how children and other users should navigate digital platforms and emerging artificial intelligence tools. The available announcement establishes the focus on awareness and safety but does not set out new regulations, enforcement measures or funding commitments.
The two-day c0c0n 2026 conference is scheduled to begin with the inauguration in Kochi on Friday. Further details about its sessions and outcomes are expected during the event.
