Israel India | Business Guide | 2017

062 > Cyber, Defense & HLS > Cyber Security: Challenges Israel-India > Business Guide > 2017 A s India embarks on the digital transformation initiative through the major government initiatives -“Digital India”, “Make In India”, “100 Smart Cities”– there is a critical need to build requisite capability and capacity in the cyber space.Withmore andmore government facilities going digital in line with Digital India especially post demonetization, cyber security becomes an integral part of this national mission to ensure national security, enterprise security, and individual privacy. India has begun to address its Cyber Security challenges in a serious way. The Indian Government published its first- ever National Cyber Security Policy, which emphasizes research and development of indigenous security technology and enhanced public-private partnership. It further encourages private organizations and companies to adopt more effective IT regulations and infrastructure in conformity with international best practices and calls for developing a workforce of cyber specialists. Also, India has set up the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Center (NCIIPC) charged with protecting assets in sectors like defense, finance, energy, and telecommunications.The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) also protects cyber assets in non-critical areas and acts as coordinating agency for any cyber emergencies. India-Israel Agreement on Cooperation in Cyber Security To overcome such an important challenge, India had an agreement with Israel for a sharp increase in collaboration on Cyber Security issues in 2013. Under this agreement, both Governments recognized the need to build a sustainable education and training program in Cyber Security as well as sustainable R&D in India. CII, India’s largest industry association,came forward in order to execute and strengthen this partnership with the following goals: • Strengthen India’s internal Cyber Security (both in government and the private sector) • Enable a mutually beneficial commercial partnership between highly innovative Israeli startups and major Indian IT firms with an established customer base amongst Fortune 500 companies • Strengthen the academic relationships between Israel and India CII has also been actively working on fostering partnerships between India and Israel. The Harold Hartog School of Government & Policy atTel AvivUniversity andCII have beenworking closely since 2008 to engender a partnership based on long-lasting collaborations.Also,in order to achieve above goals,both countries created an India-Israel Cyber SecurityWorking Group with the following functions. • Cyber Security Education & Training Workshops • Cyber SecurityWorkshops for Policymakers • Cyber Security Research and Development Efforts • Cyber Security CXO Forum • The Annual International Cyber Security Conference What Action has been Taken This Far India and Israel have already started working on these functions,especially Cyber Mission to Tel Aviv University. Two such missions have already been done and the next one is scheduled for 24-29 June 2017.Also,a joint seminar with Tel Aviv University on Cyber Security was conducted on 20 December 2016 in New Delhi. During the visit of Hon’ble President of Israel to India, both countries expressed their appreciation for the growing problem of cyber crime and vowed their allegiance toward growing India-Israel commitment to cooperation for battling cyber crime and its - serious risks to national and economic security frommalicious cyber-activity and agreed to cooperate on enhancing operational sharing of cyber threat information,examining how international law applies in cyberspace and working together to build agreement on norms of responsible state behavior. India can provide the requiredmanpower to create a dedicated cyber security task force that may operate with individual enterprises in the public-private and government sphere or they can be combined into a united and organized body or institution.The growing global cyber security challenges demand that India and the Israel seek ways to build a better foundation of mutual trust when it comes to cooperation on intelligence and counter-terrorism. Source: Confederation of Indian Industry At the inauguration of the seminar on Cyber Security held in New Delhi on 20 December 2016. L to R: Prof Joseph Klafter, President,Tel Aviv University;Tarun Vijay, Ex MP Rajya Sabha, India; Ambassador Daniel Carmon, Ambassador to Israel in India; Dr Arvind Gupta, Deputy National Security Advisor, Government of India; Mr Vijay Sethi, Co-chairman, CII Core Group on Cyber Security and CIO and Head of CSR, Hero MotoCorp Working Together to battle Cyber Crime India & Israel agree to cooperate on enhancing operational sharing of cyber threat information