How to Elevate the Image of Bengaluru
from
Silicon City of India
To
Information Security City of the World
.And Why We need to?
This is a discussion paper prepared to
stimulate a discussion on how to rejuvenate and re-launch Bangalore as a
global IT destination not withstanding the Bangalore Vs Buffalo competition
Background
Bangalore has already been recognized globally as the “Silicon City of
India”. The reputation of Bangalore has even made the US President to
consider US fiscal barriers to ensure that IT employment can be shifted
back from Bangalore to Buffalo. Success of Bangalore as a global IT
destination has also created a special status for Bangalore and Karnataka
as a leader in IT in India. Though for some time Hyderabad and Chennai have
tried to surge ahead of Bangalore in terms of marginal IT development,
Bangalore still is far ahead of other States in India in terms of its
presence in IT sector and this leadership status bestows on it certain
opportunities as well as responsibilities.
Cyber Law College promoted by the undersigned is
already implementing a state wide plan called Karnataka Cyber Law Awareness
Movement which is aimed at making Karnataka the most Cyber Law Aware state
in India. Reasonable progress has already been made in this regard with the
establishment of Cyber Law learning centers in Bangalore, Mysore,
Mangalore, Hubli and Belgaum.
The
strategic thought in this note is to develop a thought process on how we
can fulfill the responsibilities that IT leadership confers on Bangalore
with the harnessing of opportunities in future and also ensure that we meet
the threats that may hamper the unique status of the City.
The
thought is that as Bangalore tries to keep the global attention on itself
when it is re-branding itself as Bengaluru, the branding of the City as the
Silicon City of India is to upgrade the branding within the IT domain to
something more contemporary, more critical and more beneficial.
The
theme of this programme could be “Bengaluru, the Information Security
City of the World”.
Cyber Security is a focus area for Obama in US. Hence the project is likely
to open bridges of communication and collaboration between India and US in
the Cyber Security area and could re-establish Bengaluru as a preferred IT
destination. The project would also be in tune with the BJP manifesto in
the recent election.
A
recent report by The Brown-Wilson Group titled
"2009: The Year of Outsourcing Dangerously", holds Bangalore the 23rd
most dangerous city in the world and 5th most dangerous city in
India. Hyderabad and Kolkata are considered safer while Delhi, Mumbai, Pune
and Chennai are consider worse than Bangalore. We need to therefore
transform Bangalore from the 23rd worst city to perhaps beyond
the hundred mark to stay in contention of the world a secure place to do
Information related business . We need to perhaps build a “Secure Cloud”
for computing that attracts the best business houses in the world to do
business with the “Bengaluru Secure Internet Cloud”.
The
Road Map
The
transformation of “Bangalore the Silicon City of India” to “Bengaluru the
Information Security City of the World” is suggested to be focused over a
three year period from 2009 to 2012.
During
this period, suitable action plan needs to be initiated to ensure that the
re-branding occurs with achievements in different dimensions addressing
the information security concerns of different segments of the society.
During
the next 12 months, at least four major International events should be
planned in Bengaluru with Information Security focus. This would ensure
that Bengaluru would be in the global IT radar for all the good reasons.
During
this period, new Institutions focusing on Information Security may be set
up in Bengaluru which address the requirements of Information Security in
academia and research. These institutions should be nursed so that they may
eventually become global institutions of excellence in the respective
areas.
The
above Governance focus supported by Academic support should attract
National and International IT investors to consider fresh investments in
India not withstanding the fiscal barriers that are being planned in USA to
discourage increased IT investments in Bengaluru.
The
Implementation Framework
The
Government of Karnataka may declare a project titled “ Project-Global
Information Security”. (GIS)
The
Government may develop a task force which may be called “Task Force for
making Bengaluru the Global Information Security City”.
The
Government may invite representatives from the Central Government from
relevant departments to participate in the planning and implementation of
the project. Private sector participation to be ensured so that there would
be quality skill and knowledge input available for the projects.
Initial Funding may be predominantly from the State Government supported by
private sector sponsorship of individual projects. In due course it may be
supported by Central Government and UN sources.
Action Plan:
As a
part of the implementation plan, three action threads are suggested. First
is a set of events focused on Information Security. Second is a set
of IT initiatives driven by Information Security focus which
attracts global investments. The third is a set of institutions with
public-private partnership to be nurtured to promote different aspects of
Information Security as business paradigm .
Some
of the suggestions in this regard which may be discussed and modified as
may be found suitable are given below.
Events suggested in the next 12-15 months
1. IT.biz 2009
with IS focus… Nov 2009
2. An
International Conference on “Information Security in Healthcare” … March
2010
3. An
International Conference on “Information Security in Legal Outsourcing..
June 2010
4. An
International Conference on Cyber Crime Insurance … September 2010
New
Projects Suggested in the next 12 months
1.
Development of Health Care Tourism in Bengaluru with voluntary
implementation of HIPAA-HITECH standards of Information Security by select
hospitals and their accreditation with US Health Insurance Companies.
2.
Creation of a Legal BPO Cluster with a voluntary implementation of LIPS
Information Security standards as the first global LPO cluster with IS
focus.
3.Setting
up of a “Secure Internet Cloud Computing Environment” backed by secure data
centers in tier II cities.
4.
Developing globally available “Online Services in Techno Legal Information
Security” with online digital evidence archival and arbitration services
New
Institutions suggested to be set up in the next 12 months
1. Cyber Crime
Insurance Research and Security Rating Institute (to catalyse development
of Cyber Crime Insurance services).
2. Institute of
Cyber Terrorism and Cyber Warfare (to identify security mechanisms)
3. Cyber Law and
Cyber Forensic Institute (to be an International research center)
4. Institute for
Security Informatics (to develop cyber security as a part of curriculum in
Engineering Colleges)
Further detailed expansion of these suggested ideas would be made available
at the appropriate time.
In
order to take the above plan forward, the immediate follow up suggested is
that the Government of Karnataka may set up an informal Expert Group to
consider and submit a report in the next two weeks with the following
limited terms of reference.
a)Should
the Government of Karnataka adopt the project as suggested aimed at making
Bengaluru the hub of Information Security in the global platform?
b)If so,
What are the projects that can be considered for the promotion of the idea
in the short, medium and long term and how to structure the implementation
infrastructure?
c)Are
there any other alternative strategies to re-launch Bengaluru as a global
IT destination despite the adverse impact of the proposed US fiscal
policies?
Naavi
June 6, 2009
