To better arm itself from the threats emanating from the cyber world, the government announced a National Cyber Security Policy 2013.

The policy, approved in May this year, has proposed to set up different bodies to deal with various levels of threats, along with a national nodal agency, to coordinate all matters related to cyber security.

The government has proposed to set up a National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC), which will act as a 24x7 centre to ward off cyber security threats in strategic areas such as air control, nuclear and space. It will function under the National Technical Research Organisation, a technical intelligence gathering agency controlled directly by the National Security Adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office. The existing agency, Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), will handle all public and private infrastructure.

“The air defence system, power infrastructure, nuclear plants, the telecommunications system will all have to be protected to ensure there is no disruption of the kind that will destabilise the economy. Instability in the cyber space means economic instability, and no nation can afford this. Therefore, it’s essential not just to have a policy but to operationalise it,” Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said while releasing the policy.

As part of the policy, the government has proposed to create a workforce of around 5,00,000 trained in cyber security. It also proposes to provide fiscal benefits to businesses to adopt best security practices.