Rising security concerns quite through India after the attacks in Mumbai are boosting the demand for integrated security products

By Swati Prasad

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Earlier this month, Nasscom (India’s trade body and legislative body of commerce for the IT-business measure outsourcing endeavors) sent out invites for the India Leadership Forum 2009, to be held in Mumbai in February. A note at the end of the invite said: “At Nasscom, we understand the security concerns that you might have following the unfortunate incident at Mumbai. In entirely our conferences, we ensure that the security measures are rigorous and foolproof to the most expedient. see the various meanings of good of our ability.”

The note went on to list through the security measures being undertaken at the summit.

V. Rajendran, vice president, HCL Securities, told ZDNet Asia, from the time of the Mumbai attacks of Nov. 26 (26/11), “securing lives and property has emerged as a guide concern in India”. As a result, companies, hotels, retail bondage and banks are seriously considering security products and services that exhibit enhanced guarantee.

“After the recent terror attacks, there is augmenting emphasis on deploying technologically-enabled security systems both in the public and private sector,” Rajendran said in an e-mail interview.

Sivarama Krishnan, executive adviser, PricewaterhouseCoopers told ZDNet Asia in a phone interview: “Post 26/11, companies and the government have begun to look beyond IT—at the material infrastructure.” Their focus is things actuality likewise on three key areas—surety of the pertaining to physics infrastructure, the resilience of the warranty system and the disaster recovery mechanism they have in acceptance.

The IT industry is taking the security issue even more seriously. Raju Bhatnagar, depravity president, Nasscom noted: “The added impetus for the IT sector is that it is a highly clear industry segment and to a high degree people intensifying.”

Stepping up security

The present impact of the Mumbai attacks is felt on the physical security at offices, malls and other public places.

Krishnan said: “Earlier, anyone could take one’s exercise into a commercial building. But today, there are several security checks. Guards are even asking visitors to show their identity cards.”

In fact, Nasscom is in the process of collating some best practices that have power to be circulated to its members to help create awareness. According to Bhatnagar, companies have instituted three guide security steps post 26/11:

• Closer checks on vendors and suppliers visiting office premises. Such visitors are asked to provide adequate details so that the individuals can be identified when they are not above the office.

• Background checking on new recruits is being given a greater weightiness. The National Skills Registry system to ensure individuals employed by dint of. organizations have their background and antecedents verified to prevent the menace of fake resumes, is being made directory by many companies.

• Entry and exit rules—like as recording one’s thing arrived in the visitor’s chronicle—are being enforced more strictly. In many organizations, visitors are escorted from the reception to meeting place and then back to the reception.

Following the terror attacks, large IT companies had approached the Indian conduct for CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) protection to their facilities. CISF’sitting role was to guard simply the people sector units. Recently, the Indian government (through an ordinance) allowed CISF to guard private installations.

On its part, the government too is busy exploring new systems for increased security. As per reports, scientists are evaluating a state-of-the-art embedded guard system to safeguard busy railway stations across the country, some of which had been targets of terror attacks. The assurance system comprises 14 sensors that carry out surveillance and detection activities and would help answer away with frisking of men. One sensor even detects explosive material using Raman Spectroscopy.

Original text: http://rss.businessweek.com/~r/bw_rss/asiaindex/~3/523645443/gb20090126_074594.htm