New Delhi, Nov. 6 -- The department of telecommunications (DoT) is stepping up efforts to secure the country's critical telecom infrastructure against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, including those powered by artificial intelligence.

DoT has held multiple rounds of meetings with telecom operators Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Reliance Jio and state-owned BSNL to strengthen network security through firewalls and other protective mechanisms, officials aware of the matter said on condition of anonymity.

"All strategic assets of any country, be it government or non-government, are extremely important to safeguard. We have had two-three rounds of meetings with the telcos. We will be able to build our firewalls and safeguards," a se...