India - Cybersecurity overview
Country profile
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ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Index 2020 ranks India at 10th in the world and places it in the category of countries showing ‘high commitment’ to cybersecurity.
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Acronis’ Cyber Readiness Report 2020 places India as the country facing most cyberattacks in the world, more than double compared to any other country.
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The Digital Security Council of India’s (DSCI) Cyber Security Task Force (CSTF) Report represents the industry consensus on the policy environment required for Indian cyberspace.
Policies and initiatives
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India’s National Cyber Security Policy 2013 is a holistic framework “to build a secure and resilient cyberspace for citizens, businesses, and Government”.
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The Cyber Swachhta Kendra (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre) detects malicious programs and provides free tools for their removal.
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Under the Cyber Crime Prevention for Women and Children (CCPWC) Scheme, the Government of India has set up Cyber Forensic cum Training Laboratories and instituted capacity-building programs related to cyber awareness and cybercrime investigation.
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India has a Cyber Diplomacy Division in addition to a New and Emerging Strategic Technologies Division within its Ministry of External Affairs.
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India is in the process of formulating a Cyber Security Strategy 2020-2025, with the aim of keeping its cyberspace safe, secure, and as a means of generating prosperity.
Governance structure
India’s cybersecurity is governed by a range of laws, most notably the Information Technology Act, 2000. India has a dedicated National Cybersecurity Coordinator (NCC) at the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), which coordinates between different agencies. The prime agencies in the field are CERT-In, National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC), and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). Apart from the government, there exists a not-for-profit industry body known as the Data Security Council of India which maintains liaison with the government and regulators.