India should make cybersecurity national mission, become leader in efforts

Risks are going increase as the country adopts new technologies and becomes more digital

Over the past decade, India's digital landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation, propelled by factors such as aggressive technology adoption, a strong world-leading technology industry, burgeoning digital-first enterprises, most importantly, the unique and successful experimentation with digital public infrastructure. Various sectors, including defence, prioritise modernisation through substantial investments and innovation. Digital technologies are emerging as a primary means for delivering public services, and digital methods are being touted as a way for integrating MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) into India’s growing economic machinery. In the process, the digital footprint of citizens, businesses, and the overall economy is growing rapidly. Fraudsters are advancing their methods and means to find and exploit weakness in the machinery.

 

 

India’s digital economy is poised to grow rapidly in the coming decades and is expected to be a key factor in the country's progress towards Viksit Bharat. The success of this transformation hinges on a strong foundation of cybersecurity, privacy and protection from cybercrime. Cybersecurity is now central to the design of plans of digitisation. It is critical for national security as critical infrastructure -- power grids, water treatment plants, transportation, and financial systems -- is becoming digital in nature, Moreover, information critical for national security, defence preparedness, and strategic interests is accessible through digital means. Any disruption or compromise of these systems could lead to widespread blackouts, economic disruption, or severe geopolitical consequences. There's mounting evidence of cyber actors -- state and non-state -- probing critical infrastructure. Attackers are adopting espionage tactics to target strategic sectors. They are moving swiftly and getting better at evading detection. They can significantly damage industry, government, and public infrastructure. The challenge will only intensify as we go for more digitisation and aggressive adoption of technologies.

 

India is committed to emerging technologies and is bringing missionary zeal to its efforts. A mission-specific approach brings a strong sense of purpose. It provides a clear direction, aligns resources, and accelerates progress towards specific technological goals. National Quantum Mission, India AI Mission, and India Semiconductor Mission give testimony of it. Criticality of cybersecurity to digital economy goals and Viksit Bharat demands similar missionary zeal. Cybersecurity necessitates unwavering dedication, relentless diligence, strong governance, breakthrough innovation, and proactive approaches to protect digitisation of the economy, national security, and maintaining citizens' trust in digital means. Cybersecurity has also emerged as a critical area to develop an industrial ecosystem. It offers possibilities in export of high-end services, research, product-based entrepreneurship, attracting inward investment, and creating quality jobs. A mission-oriented approach apart, enhancing higher level of preparedness and response will help maximising gains from cyber possibilities.

 

Over the past two decades, different government departments, led by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) have taken steps to shape India's cybersecurity landscape. With policy interventions, establishing a legal framework, emergency response initiatives, funding research, a credible cybersecurity ecosystem exists in the country. Meity’s support to the Data Security Council of India brought cybersecurity technology entrepreneurship to a level of critical mass. The comprehensive national architecture put in place to tackle security challenges, facilitated by National Security Council Secretariat and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre of the Ministry of Home Affairs have further fostered a favorable environment. India’s cyber security efforts have got Tier-I status in the 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index.

 

Over the years unimaginable breakthroughs in technologies would be observed, unprecedented adoption of technologies would be seen, and unparalleled geopolitical tension associated with technology would be observed.

 

Focused, concerted, and a mission-mode approach would not only help India meet cybersecurity challenges with confidence, but also make it the world’s leading cybersecurity industry ecosystem. In doing so, we foster public trust on digital means and demonstrate to the world how to achieve rapid digitisation of the economy while keeping the health of cyberspace intact and the interest of citizens paramount.

 

A National Cyber Security Mission [NCSM] should outline outcomes and objectives, measurable goals and a comprehensive strategy aligning with national priorities and industry needs. It should speak about allocation of resources to improve preparedness and drive research and innovation. Budgetary allocation, development of industrial ecosystem, establishment of a strong leadership team, roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders should be on NCSM's agenda. It should emphasise on research, development of value added services, product entrepreneurship, and promoting India as the leading destination for cybersecurity products and services. It should also help consolidate efforts for skill and capability development. We have a chance to build a global industry in this area. NCSM will advance the timeline of realising the possibility.

 

We at the Data Security Council of India believe that the time to have a mission-oriented effort for cybersecurity is now.        Pramod Bhasin is chairman of the board, Data Security Council of India; Vinayak Godse is CEO    These are the personal opinions of the writers. They do not necessarily reflect the views of www.business-standard.com or the Business Standard newspaper