India is creating a regulatory body to improve security
at outsourcing companies.
The country has been stung into action by newspaper exposes in
the western press about alleged data security lapses affecting
customer data of companies that have outsourced their call centres
to India.
The new security initiative has been led by Indian IT trade
association Nasscom. With India now facing stiff competition from
other offshore locations, such as China, Nasscom is determined to
allay any fears about data security processes in India.
Nasscom said the statutory body would set privacy and security
standards for customer data, and monitor member companies to make
sure they met those standards.
If companies fail in these areas, law enforcement agencies could
be brought in.
The statutory body will be independent from Nasscom and will
have its own chief executive officer and management board.
The organisation will also have its own membership, with
membership fees paying for its running costs. The search is
currently on for a CEO to run the body.