Up ante on data security: EU

Data protection laws in the country came in for criticism at the India-European Union business summit today. Both sides, however, agreed that Indian IT industry could become the outsourcing hub of the world.

EU representative at the summit accused the Indian IT industry of not following adequate measures to protect personal information of its citizens.

"The concern for data protection is real and the threat is genuine," said Neena Gill, chairperson of the Asian delegation in the European Parliament.

The Indian industry, too, blamed western governments for not explaining to their citizens the measures taken by the industry for data protection.

"Nasscom is initiating norms for data protection to be followed by the industry. It is also establishing a national repository of industry professionals," said Ashok Soota, managing director of Mindtree Consulting Ltd.

Gill admitted that the west should make their citizens fully aware of all the measures that are being undertaken by Indian IT firms to ensure data protection.

Both sides also agreed that the industry was likely to face stiff competition in outsourcing business from Eastern European countries like Poland in the coming future. They also said the industry would, however, be able to position itself as the outsourcing destination of the world, if it developed "brand India" better and projected itself as the business centre of the world.

"Although China is taking away more jobs than India, India is branded as an under-developed country It is positioned as a centre of low-cost outsourcing and not as the business centre of the world," said Sanjiv Ahuja, CEO, Orange.

"The Indian IT industry needs to look at other EU countries like France and Germany, and not restrict itself to only the US and UK," added Gill.