India is planning a new national strategy to strengthen its cybersecurity. According to former Lt General Rajesh Pant, India’s National Cyber Security Coordinator, the plan will coordinate responses across ministries including home affairs, IT, defense and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre in case of an cyberattack and set audit procedures.
It’s been reported that this action is in response to the allegations that Chinese intrusions may have affected operations at a key stock exchange and supply of electricity in Mumbai.
The plan will coordinate responses across ministries including Home Affairs, Information Technology, Defense and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre in case of an attack and set audit procedures, former Lieutenant General Rajesh Pant, India’s National Cyber Security Coordinator said in an interview. It will be approved by the cabinet committee on security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Authorities are investigating a series of recent suspected cyber intrusions which could have led to a power outage in Mumbai, crippled systems at banks and caused a glitch at the country’s premier National Stock Exchange, he said. The report is expected in about a fortnight.
The new strategy will lay down protocols for prevention and audit to secure the government’s digitally connected water, health and education systems that are all being treated as critical infrastructure, he said. Infrastructure like nuclear, power and aviation will be considered supercritical.