Centre planning separate cybersecurity policy

The National Security Council Secretariat, which works with the National Security Advisor in an advisory role to the Prime Minister on national security matters, is considering a stand-alone law for cybersecurity in India, and is working on a strategy document that will consider both the domestic and international implications of such a policy, people familiar with the matter said.

The policy will be the first of its kind, even as provisions for cybersecurity exist under the information technology law and certain financial regulations mandated by the Reserve Bank of India. But India does not have a stand-alone law in the domain.

The policy is being worked out by National Cyber Security Coordinator Lt Gen (retd) Rajesh Pant in the secretariat. “It is one of the deliverables of proposed National Cyber Security Strategy, and is required to cater for new age cyber crimes,” Pant said.