Shocked IT sector to beef up security

Long considered to be on the terror radar, the booming information technology industry in the country's tech hub has been stunned by Wednesday's terrorist attack at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.

The IT industry now plans to beef up security at the tech firms, but feels that the incident would have no adverse bearing on the IT sector.

Wednesday's attack has, perhaps, come as a 'wake up call' for Bangalore, an IT hotspot for global tech firms, which accounts for almost one third of India's software exports and has often been said to be on top of the terrorists' hit list.

"This (the attack) is very shocking and cowardly, coming as it does on innocent persons. It is sad that it happened in an academic institution where you do not want to be constrained, that too at an international conference," said Nasscom president Kiran Karnik, the apex body of the software industry.

On the IT firms being considered 'soft targets' and their vulnerability to such attacks, Karnik said security is tight in tech firms even now and they do keep reviewing it.

The IT companies did have a 'tight security regimen.' "But we will work with the government on what additional steps we need to take to further tighten the security," he said. The IT industry would work with police and seek their guidance.

He did not share the perception of the police that the IT firms were considering security as a low priority area.

Karnik did not feel that the terrorist attack in Bangalore would impact the IT industry adversely. He said terror attacks had occurred in other cities of the world. "We don't think it will have an adverse impact."

Hewlett Packard Globalsoft Ltd president Som Mittal said the IT firms do have tight security, though they were not equipped to handle situations such as a terrorist attack, which required specialised training.

"We will, however, beef up security. We will seek the help of police," he said. The country had enough experience in tackling terrorism, and the IT industry would seek guidance of professionals.

"It is a wake-up call for everybody," said Bangalore Forum for IT convenor C N Kumar.

He said security had to be a collaborative effort, involving both the IT industry and the security agencies. "The industry, government and police should work together and exchange information if there is a threat perception."

Kumar said while it is true that the police might not have all the resources required, they could share their expertise with the industry.

Software Technology Parks of India, Bangalore, Director B V Naidu said the attack was 'shocking' and "we need to take extra precautions." The IT firms need to be more cautious.

On the impact of the attack, he said any such incident 'creates a panic and scare' and, therefore, security must be tightened to prevent its recurrence.

Soon after the attack, the Karnataka police had asked IT and biotechnology firms to beef up security and not just depend on the government security agencies to do the job.

"We would request the industries to tighten and step up security for their own economic development, instead of only depending on police and security agencies," the state DGP B S Sial had said, while criticising companies who considered investing in security set-up as 'wasteful expenditure.'

IT and BT firms were 'soft targets,' he said.

On Monday, the Delhi police had claimed to have foiled a terror plan that included attacks on software parks in Bangalore and Hyderabad.

'Strategy needed to deal with terror strikes'

Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday said a strategy would have to be drawn up to deal with terrorist strikes in cities like Bangalore.

"Investigating agencies are trying to ascertain whether it was a terrorist strike. If it turns out to be an organised terrorist strike, I think one needs to draw up a strategy to deal with it, especially in a metro city like Bangalore," he said.

Wednesday's incident was not discussed at the meeting of the Union Cabinet earlier in the day on Thursday, he said.

Chidambaram said if it turned out to be an isolated attack, the state government would have to take measures accordingly.