India to host world cyber security meet in 2012

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The ministry of communications and IT and the East West Institute today announced that the third worldwide cyber security summit will be held in New Delhi on October 30-31, 2012.

Union telecom minister Kapil Sibal will head the summit's India chapter.

This event, followed by summits in Dalas and London, will be India's first major international summit on cybersecurity which is expected to see participation of experts from across the world.

The EWI's decision to host the summit in New Delhi, however, underlines the importance of India over China, which is long known as an origin for cyber attacks.

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''We are looking forward to the Delhi event, which will be truly historic,'' said Sibal. ''We are a digitally globalized world and there are no territorial boundaries. Awareness is, however, a big challenge,'' he added.

R Chandrashekhar, secretary of Ministry of Communications and IT, and chairman of the telecom commission said that as the cybersecurity is getting ever increasing concern, the ministry is pleased to announce that third summit on cybersecurity will be held in New Delhi.

''It'll become a milestone in forging new alliances with all stakeholders,'' Chandrashekhar said. ''As we move ahead in the internet, Cybersecurity becomes acute. Developing countries have a more important role than the developed nations,'' he added.

Som Mittal, president, NASSCOM said that they are delighted to partner with FICCI and the government for the event next year. ''Data security is an important area, and it's our collective responsibility to work together,'' Mittal added.

John Edwin Mroz, president, EastWest Institute said that India is a mega partner for them. ''The third EWI summit will take place in Asia after Dallas and London. We choose India as it's a like-minded nation and shares a similar concern,'' he said. 

Mroz also said that they have launched New Delhi Summit process wherein work will be undertaken under a series of topics in India. ''Besides FICCI and NASSCOM, MIT's Technology Review has shown interest in partnering with the institute,'' he added.

Highlighting the agenda, Mroz said that escalating threats to banking, digital networks, Internet and other aspects of businesses will be addressed appropriately. The worldwide Cybersecurity Summit 2012 will help industry to evaluate the needs and move beyond talks.

EWI Board chairman, Ross Perot Junior said that as per industry source, 30 million Indians were victims of cyber attacks in 2010. ''The core objective will be to address cross-border security threats; discuss pressing issues in communication technology and infrastructure; and demonstrate new policies and practices'' he said.