In an attempt to strengthen cyber security in India, the government on Friday said announced a slew of measures, including that all organisations having a significant IT infrastructure will need to appoint cyber security officers.

Speaking at the Editors’ conference here, the Minister for Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad also announced that efforts are being made to strengthen Cert-IN, the governments’ cyber security arm.

“Cert-In is being strengthened. The ministry has approved 26 new posts… State Certs are being planned by Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala and Jharkhand. Also, three sectoral Certs in power sector -- generation, transmission and distribution, have been set up, in addition to the banking one,” the minister said.

Further, he added that a National cyber coordination center is being set up to provide near real time situational awareness and rapid response at a cost of Rs 985 crore. This project will be completed in 5 years. “The Phase 1 is ready to be tendered and expected to be operational by March 2017. While a Botnet Center will be launched shortly,” the minister said.

On Donald Trump

Seeking to assuage some concerns expressed by the industry over the outcome of the US Presidential elections given Donald Trump's anti-outsourcing posturing during pre-election campaigns, Mr Prasad said the Indian government will "respond" in a coordinated manner in case the new administration takes any decision that has potential bearing on the sector.

“…if certain issues come, the matter will be taken up at the Government level where apart from the IT Ministry, Ministry of Commerce, and Ministry of External Affairs, all the three have to work in coordination,” the IT minister said.

Pointing out to the role of Indian IT companies in the growth of the US economy, the minister said that the industry has supported 4.10 lakh jobs in the US in 2015, through American operations. "This 4.10 lakh is very big number, and over 95 per cent of these are Americans. Indian IT industry investments are to the tune of USD 2 billion between 2011-13," the minister said.

In the four-year period between 2011-15, Indian IT industry paid USD 20 billion in taxes, he added. “I am very proud of Indian IT companies... they are paying heavy taxes to the tune of USD 20 billion, creating huge jobs and fulfilling corporate social responsibility in healthcare and education, philanthropy. It has impacted American lives...," Mr Prasad said.