Time for National Mission on Cyber Security

Over the past decade, India's digital landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation, propelled factors such as aggressive technology adoption, a strong world leading tech industry, burgeoning digital-first enterprises, most importantly, the unique and successful experimentation with digital public infrastructure. Various sectors, including defence, prioritize modernization 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 into India’s growing economic machinery. In the process, the digital footprint of citizens, businesses, and overall economy is growing rapidly. The attack landscape and fraudsters are advancing their methods and means to find and exploit weakness in it. 

India’s digital economy is poised to grow rapidly in the coming decades and expected a key factor in the country's progress towards Viksit Bharat. The success of this transformation hinges on a strong foundation for cyber security, privacy, protection from cybercrime. Cyber security is now central to the design of plans of digitization. It is critical for national security as critical infrastructure, such as power grids, water treatment plants, transportation systems, and financial systems, is increasingly 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, probes critical infrastructure. Attackers increasingly adopt 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 digitization and aggressive adoption of technologies. 

India is committing big to emerging technologies. In fact, bringing missionary zeal to the effort. A mission-specific approach brings 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 cyber security to digital economy goals and Vikasit Bharat demands similar missionary zeal. Cyber security necessitates unwavering dedication, relentless diligence, strong governance, breakthrough innovation, and proactive approaches to protect digitization of economy, national security, and maintaining citizens trust on digital means. Cyber security also emerged as a critical area of developing industrial ecosystem. It offers possibilities in export of high-end services, research, product-based entrepreneurship, attracting inward investment, and creating quality jobs. Mission oriented approach apart enhancing higher level of preparedness and response will help maximizing gains from cyber possibilities. 
Over the past two decades,different government departments, led by Ministry of Electronics and IT [MeitY] has taken steps to shape India's cybersecurity landscape. With policy interventions, establishing a legal framework, emergency response initiatives, funding research, a credible cyber security ecosystem exists in the country. Meity’s support to Data Security Council of India brought the cyber security technology entreprenuership to a level of critical mass. The comprehensive national architecture put in place to tackle security challenges, facilitated by National Security Council Secretriat, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre of the Ministry of Home Affairs, etc. have further fostered a favorable environment. The ITU recongition of India’s cyber security efforts by giving it Tier 1 status in the 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) gives testimony of it. 
In the decade and until 2047,  unimaginable breakthrough in technologies would be observed, unprecedent adoption of technologies would be seen, and unparalleled geopolitical tension associated with technology would be observed.  

Focused, concerted, and mission mode approach to cyber security would not only help India browse through and thrive against the cyber security challenges with a confidence but also make India world’s leading cyber security industry ecosystem. In doing so, we foster public trust on digital means and demonstrate the world how to achieve rapid digitization of economy keeping health of cyber space intact and interest of citizens paramount. 

National Cyber Security Mission [NCSM] with clear vision outlining desired outcomes and objectives, measurable goals, comprehensive strategy aligning with national priorities and industry needs, allocation of resources to improve preparedness and response and drive research and innovation, budgetory allocation, focus on the development of industrial ecosystem, establishment of of strong leadership team to execute effectively, devising roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders clearly, and establishing effective governance mechanism bring the momentum required for acceleration of cyber activities in the country. It would give emphasis on cutting edge research, development of value added services,  product entrepreneurship, and promoting India as the leading destination for cyber security product and services. It would also help consolidating efforts for skill and capability developments to support demands from domestic and international market. We have a chance to build a global industry in this area. NCSM will advance the timeline of realizing the possibility. 
We at Data Security Council of India believes that time to have mission oriented effort for cyber security is now. 

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The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and any content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only.