The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recently released its Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) for 2020, with India catapulting 37 places to secure a spot within the top ten. The country now holds the tenth position on the prestigious list and the announcement precedes the sixth anniversary of Digital India on July 1st.
Top Players in Global Cybersecurity
In the GCI 2020, the United States secured the top position, closely followed by the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, who shared the second place. Estonia found itself in third place. India, boasting a total score of 97.5 out of a possible maximum of 100, managed to secure the tenth position globally and the fourth position in the Asia Pacific region.
India: A Rising IT Superpower
India’s impressive performance in the GCI affirms its evolving status as a global IT superpower. The nation is progressively asserting its digital sovereignty through robust measures aimed at bolstering data privacy and safeguarding the online rights of its citizens. This massive leap in ranking reflects India’s overall improvement in all aspects of the cybersecurity domain.
Evaluating Cybersecurity: The Assessment Parameters
GCI rankings are based on each nation’s performance across five key domains of cybersecurity: legal measures, technical measures, organizational measures, capacity development, and cooperation. These scores are then accumulated to form an overall score.
About the International Telecommunication Union
The ITU is a specialized United Nations agency that focuses on information and communication technologies – ICTs. Established in 1865, its primary objective is to promote international connectivity in communication networks. Positioned in Geneva, Switzerland, the institution develops technical standards, allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, and strives to enhance accessibility to ICTs for underserved communities worldwide.
India’s Involvement with ITU
Notably, India has held a regular membership in the ITU since 1952 and was recently re-elected for the 2019-2022 term.
Challenges to Cybersecurity in India
Despite the notable progress, India still faces several challenges in the realm of cybersecurity. Rapid and extensive deployment of multiple cybersecurity tools has created a fragmented and complex security environment vulnerable to human error. The shift to remote working arrangements further magnifies these risks. India’s dependency on foreign-made hardware and software cybersecurity tools exposes it to potential cyberattacks from state and non-state actors. Moreover, the lack of an ‘active cyber defense’ framework equivalent to the EU’s GDPR or the US’ CLOUD Act further complicates the situation.
India’s Measures to Enhance Cybersecurity
To tackle the aforementioned challenges, India is implementing various strategies. The National Cyber Security Strategy 2020 is being developed to enhance cyber awareness and enforce stringent audits. The Draft Personal Data Protection Bill 2018 seeks to protect citizens’ data. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) established in 2018 is dedicated to tackling all forms of cybercrimes. Moreover, the National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) operates as the central agency for all cybersecurity endeavours, emergency responses, and crisis management. Efforts are also underway to bolster the protection and resilience of vital information infrastructure via the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC).
Role of International Mechanisms
India has yet to sign the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, which seeks to harmonize national laws, advance investigative techniques, and promote international cooperation to address internet and computer crime. Meanwhile, the nation actively participates in the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), promoting multi-stakeholder dialogue on internet governance.