Category: Latest
Jio and Guavus Partner on AI-Powered Analytics
Jio, one of the world’s largest mobile data network service providers, and Guavus, a Thales company and the leader in AI-powered analytics for communications service providers, have recently announced a partnership centered on AI-driven analytics. Guavus’AI-based solutions will provide real-time customer experience analytics, predictive analytics to automate network troubleshooting and key marketing insights to Jio. As a result, Jio will be able to offer superior service to its customers while addressing critical service operations with intelligent automation. Jio is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing data service operators with more than 300 million subscribers. The Indian service provider, which has disrupted the market with its affordable data plans and unlimited calling benefits, has created a completely digital experience for its users – ranging from data services on smartphones, to gigabit Internet at home, along with a portfolio of media offerings and IoT devices such as smart speakers and switches for the smart home. “Our networks generate 4 to 5 petabytes of data each day. If this data can be properly analyzed in real-time using big data analytics and predictive analytics techniques, we can both improve the health of our network through intelligent automation and offer multiple, customized personal services to our customers. Guavus’solutions enable us to do this – we can make data-driven decisions that allow us to deliver a great experience to our customers while bringing intelligent automation to our operations,” said Anish Shah, President of IT, Reliance Jio. “Guavus provides us data analytics technology and out-of-the-box analytics solutions for intelligent operations and marketing – but they’re not just fishing for us, they’re giving us the ability to fish. Our teams will be able to take advantage of a ‘self-service’ platform to build custom analytics applications that are tied very closely to their areas of the business and to deliver quality new products much faster,” said Kiran Thomas, President, Reliance Industries. Anukool Lakhina, Founder and President, Guavus said, “Guavus has been a pioneer working on AI-powered analytics solutions with service providers around the world. The rapid growth, range, and affordability of Jio’s service offerings and their innovative use of AI and analytics is transformative for their customers and India. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Jio to provide the AI and analytics foundation for the digital services revolution in India.”
Creating Jobs, Securing New India
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) organized the seventh edition of Private Security Industry Conclave (PSIC) 2019 on 30 August 2019 at Federation House, New Delhi with the theme – ‘Creating Jobs – Securing New India.’ The conclave was aimed to highlight the potential of private security industry to contribute to the vision ‘new India’ through its increasing role in homeland security and employment generation. The event brought together experts from varied sections including the government, private security industry, state controlling authorities, service users and other stakeholders. The Conclave was inaugurated by Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry, as well as Railways, Government of India. Recognising the significance of the private security industry in terms of job creation and national security, Mr Goyal suggested that the government will try resolving the GST issues and ask bankers to help. “If the industry comes into the ambit of regulation, the government will look into the GST problem where customers delay the payments, but the GST has to be paid on the due date,” he said, “Two things can be done. We can try ensuring timely payments from all government organizations, and banks can be asked to devise a product dedicated to the private security industry where over-dues for a regulated entity from a creditworthy client can be securitized.” “Delay in granting licenses is a serious issue. I would urge the industry to come up with a framework for the online registration process and minimum documentation, which the Home Ministry can notify to ensure time-bound manner registration is granted. The framework will take care of the interest of workers in the industry “ Piyush Goyal Minister of Commerce & Industry, as well as Railways, Government of India Mr Goyal urged the industry to recommend licencing framework guidelines to avoid delays in the registration of private security agencies. The government is willing to act as a facilitator in setting up an organized framework for the private security industry including matters relating to licensing, registration and training. The Railway Minister also asked the industry to impart better training to the security guards and possibly design certification in consultation with the Home Ministry for increasing the avenues for promotion and better income of the guards. As for multiple regulators in the states, the industry can flag the problems and the government would try dovetailing all the regulations into a uniform framework. The minister further said that the problems in the industry have to be sorted out mutually and he would look into the possibility of engaging private security guards in the government, particularly in the railways, and in less critical areas. The sector can be one of the largest employment generators and the current workforce of 70 lakh can grow to two crores. “The industry is a bridge between unemployed youth and the organised sector. Even amidst the current slowdown, the private security industry continues to grow and create jobs. The given assurances from the senior ministers to resolve issues related with the GST, Code on Wages, Credit Access for smaller companies and enabling rather than enforcing compliance to labour reforms is very reassuring” Rituraj Sinha Chair, FICCI Committee on PSI The PSIC 2019 was also graced by Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment, Government of India who in the next session suggested that the private security industry plays a major role in creating jobs in the country and the guards who put in a lot of hard works deserve a decent and timely wage to sustain themselves. The government will ensure a fair wage for all private security workers by bringing it under the purview of National Minimum Floor Wage. “Since 2014, the government has been working to reclassify all old labour laws in four labour codes, and the Parliament has passed the Code on Wages in August. The passage of this code entitles minimum and timely wage to all 50 crore security workers “ Santosh Kumar Gangwar Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment, Government of India On the disparity in minimum wages in different states ranging from Rs.5,000 to Rs.13,000 per month, the minister informed that there has been a provision of National Minimum Floor Wage in the Code of Wage which will decide the minimum wage for all the states. Besides, he appealed all the states to follow suits towards classification of security guards as skilled labour is already done in 2017. “The Code on Wages is a historic bill which will ensure statutory protection for minimum wages and timely payment of wages to approximately 50 crore workers of organized as well as unorganized sector. We welcome the Government’s initiative to have brought massive labour reforms in the past couple of years, along with the Code on Wages and the proposed future changes. It will eventually aid in creating lakhs of jobs. We also appreciate the intent of the government to execute these massive changes, through use of digital solutions and change the role of authorities from only inspection to facilitation also. We expect it will prove to be a milestone as it will promote respectful life to every worker of the country and tremendously help companies and entrepreneurs in ease of doing business” Rajeev Sharma MD – G4S India Earlier, Sandip Somany, President, FICCI said that the private security industry is a sunrise sector with a potential to be the second-largest employment generator in India. It employs workers from a rural and poor background. The government and industry could focus on the cost of doing business, regulatory reforms, labour reforms and sector-specific special packages, and blending of manpower with technology for providing better services. He also emphasized on the proper enforcement of the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, besides curbing delays in granting licences, streamlining of different regulatory conditions in states along with the PPP approach where the industry would engage with law enforcement agencies. Manjari Jaruhar, Advisor, FICCI Committee on Private Security Industry suggested that the…
Hikvision Announces Half-yearly Financial Results with 14.60% Growth
Hikvision, the world’s leading provider of innovative security products and solutions, has reported a total operating revenue of RMB 23.92 billion for the first half of 2019, representing a year-over-year (YoY) growth of 14.60%. Net profits attributable to shareholders of the company amounted to RMB 4.22 billion, a growth of 1.67% YoY. The company also reported strong financial performance during the second quarter of 2019, with 21.46% growth YoY in total operating revenue and 14.98% growth YoY in net profits. The Company performed a retrospective adjustment or restatement of previous accounting data for business merger under the common control and the first implementation of New Financial Instrument Guidelines. The company maintained strong investment in R&D and accelerated development of trending technologies such as deep learning, big data, and intelligent IoT, which will enable the company to stay ahead of the curve in innovation for the security industry. During the first half of 2019, the company further strengthened its operations at home and abroad with continued investment in local sales, marketing, and customer services operations. Hikvision also sees its new businesses – EZVIZ, HikRobotics, Automotive Electronics, and Intelligent Storage – continue to flourish, gradually becoming a new source of development and long-term growth.
Prama Hikvision Launches ‘Bravery Awards’
Honours 9 Policemen for Exemplary Service and Courage Prama Hikvision, India’s leading provider of innovative video surveillance products and solutions, successfully launched their first edition of ‘Bravery Awards’ on 24 July 2019 at the Hikvision Expo, Rajkot, Gujarat. The Bravery Awards aim to recognize and honour the exemplary, exceptionally meritorious and heroic acts of police professionals in extraordinary circumstances. The awards were conferred by Manoj Agarwal, Police Commissioner and Ajay Chaudhary, Assistant Police Commissioner, Rajkot; and AK Jadeja, DGP, Gujarat. “We are extremely pleased to launch the first of its kind awards, the ‘Bravery Awards,’ given to recognize and felicitate police professionals who have set an example in demonstrating exceptional courage to protect the lives and property of the citizens of India. Committed to our vision of making citizen’s security a top priority, the awards are a step forward in inspiring the police professionals to go beyond their call of duty and enable a secure environment for the citizens across the country. The ‘Bravery Awards’ truly reiterate our ambition of pursuing excellence in security technology implementation in India and encourage us to further set higher standards in security and surveillance industry through breakthrough solutions,” Commented Ashish P. Dhakan, MD and CEO, Prama Hikvision India Pvt. Ltd., “Hikvision’s team of experts presented the best-in-class technologies and product innovations through technical sessions during the Hikvision Expo in Gujarat. We also unveiled the latest products applications and innovative solutions, including artificial intelligence, AI cloud, big data and IoT. We got overwhelming response to our latest range of IP cameras, PIR cameras, access control products, video door phones, Ezviz cameras, face recognition terminals and swing gates, smart pole, ECS (emergency call switch) etc., at the event.” In his keynote address, Manoj Agarwal, Commissioner of Police, Rajkot, encouraged Hikvision to bring in more technology that can assist in investigation of incidents and also to build more analytics. He further said that innovative technology like Face Recognition will help in curbing crime. He thanked Hikvision for taking initiative in recognising police personnel and awarding them with Bravery Awards. The ‘Bravery Awards’ were given to total 9 police personnel for their exemplary service and bravery on the line of duty. The Awards were presented to three Policemen – Sub Inspector D.P. Unadkat, Sub Inspector H.B. Dhandhalya, and PC Sanjaykumar Babubhai Rupapara, and a team of six cyber police professionals including PSI D. B. Gadhavi, PSI S. S. Nair, PSI K. J. Rana, ASI C. M. Chavda, HC Jaydevbhai Bosiya and PC Chhanubhai Gohil. Hikvision Expo was organized with the core objective of promoting security technology awareness among the security professionals, citizens and channel partners. As a part of the first leg of their pan India initiative, Hikvision Expo was organized in three major cities of Gujarat – Surat (19 July), Ahmedabad (22 July) and Rajkot (24 July) by inviting all the key stakeholders of security ecosystem partners. The expo provided the latest security and surveillance technology updates by experts in special interactive sessions and live demonstrations.
FICCI Conference on Countering Rogue Drones
The gold rush of the 19th century brought together people from all economic strata. It brought investors, opportunists, miners, entrepreneurs, law enforcers and law breakers together to a single location. There was a law of the land but implementation of that law was a challenge. The modern drone industry portrays a similar lay of the land. There is a gold mine of potential applications and business opportunities. This has attracted participants from multiple industries to provide business solutions. India has the law of the land in terms of regulations for drone e.g., unarmed aircraft system (UAS) ownership and operations; and the land also has the entrepreneurs and large firms – the law abiders and law breakers – and the entities who wish to misuse technology. The Federation of India Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has recently organized a conference on ‘Countering Rogue Drones’ in New Delhi, which received impressing response from the industry and other stakeholders including the government. The government officials who presented themselves there and shared their parts included Rakesh Asthaana, Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and Sanjay Jaju, Joint Secretary, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, Government of India. “Government to soon identify key counter drone technologies for critical installations.” – Rakesh Asthaana DG, BCAS, GoI Mr. Asthaana indicated that the Ministry of Civil Aviation is working on finding solutions to counter rogue drones in the country. He said, “The Ministry of Civil Aviation had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of DG-BCAS for finding out the best available counter drone solutions and standards to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India. We have taken the live trials – second pilot has just been over – and we are in the process of finalizing our reports which will be submitted to the Ministry soon.” “We don’t know which drone is rogue and which is good. We should have technology to counter it. Whether you go in for commercial or security purposes, the technology has to be such that can prevent the rogue drones in our country,” added Mr. Asthaana, “Drones can be used both for the betterment of the society and for killing people as well and destroying assets.” “Focus on indigenization of drone manufacturing and counter drone solutions” – Sanjay Jaju Joint Secretary, DDP, MoD, GoI Sanjay Jaju said, “The drone technology has immense potential, and as per NITI Aayog, the sector is likely to reach $50 billion in the next 15 years.” Calling for indigenization of drone manufacturing and counter drone solutions, Mr. Jaju emphasized that local manufacturing should be done not only to derive economic potential but also to check the internal and external threats faced by the country. “Some thought also has to be given to counter drone systems that not just target the drones but actually target or find ways and means of locating the person who is actually operating them “ – Ankit Mehta Co-Chair, FICCI Committee on Drones, and Co-founder & CEO, IdeaForge “If we can manufacture world class drones within the country, we can obviously manufacture world class counter drone measures. Otherwise what will happen is that the dependence on global market will continue for the anti-drone measures as it is for drones currently,” he noted. Lt Gen Sanjeev Madhok (Retd.), Co-Chair, FICCI Committee on Drones, and Head, Defence Business, Dynamatic Technologies said, “Drones have effectively disrupted business and operating models. They have empowered organizations and enabled them to capture real-time, highly accurate data in the most cost-effective manner.” A FICCI-EY report on ‘Countering Rogue Drones’ was also released during the conference which emphasizes the needs to deploy counter UAV systems.
Inaugural Edition of Safe Secure Smart Cities Conference
The inaugural edition of the ‘Safe Smart Cities Conference’ concluded on a successful note at The Lalit hotel, New Delhi. Organized by Corptive Research, the event was supported by GACS, Forces Network and AIILSG; EY was the knowledge partner to the event. MitKat Advisory was the associate partner, and SecurityLink India, Construction World and Urban Update were the official media partners. The event gained broader relevance considering the new term of the BJP government. With the smart cities mission launched on 25 June 2015 by Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, the country undertook one of the largest and most complex urbanization initiatives on the planet – one hundred cities of India were selected as part of this mission in its first phase. The Safe Smart City Conference brought together policymakers including those from Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), CEOs of smart city missions, academia, R&D, corporate leaders from consulting, and design and technology, OEMs, system integrators, as well as startups, NGOs and citizen groups – from across the globe – to have a free and frank exchange on ‘how to make our cities safe, secure, resilient and citizen-friendly,’ and what role each of the key stakeholders is expected to play. Most panelists emphasized on the need to get the necessary infrastructure in place and to leverage technology to make cities more efficient, secure, sustainable, and responsive. Various senior government officials attended the event. Among the senior government representations, some of the major departments were MoHUA, New Delhi Municipal Corporation, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Gwalior Smart City Limited, Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, and Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council. The inaugural edition was attended by Avni Gupta, Deputy Director, Smart Cities Mission, MOHUA; Mahip Tejasvi, CEO – Gwalior Smart City; Sanjay Jha, Special Municipal Commissioner – Chandigarh; Shailesh Kumar Agrawal, Executive Director – Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council; Santosh Khadsare, Scientist E, CERT-IN, Ministry of Electronics and IT; Vishwa Ranjan Gupta, Director, New Delhi Municipal Council Smart City Limited; amidst an august industry gathering. Among the major participants from the private sector were EY, ICICI Bank, Havells, Yes Bank, LnT, NEC, PwC, Mahindra Defence Systems, Tata Tele Services, Ajeevi Technologies, Tech Mahindra, Axis Communications. Tata Tele Services was one of the main sponsors for the event. The conference program at Safe Smart Cities 2019 featured discussions and presentations on a series of relevant and innovative themes including ‘Progress so far in Smart Cities’ and ‘What to do next about developing the Smart Cities.’ Featuring some of the top experts from the government, the program highlighted and brought to the forefront key issues which will play a significant role in shaping the future of Indian urban planning. Safe Smart Cities 2019 hosted eight keynotes along with panel discussions that brought together stakeholders of the industry on a single platform, allowing the exchange of ideas that added value to the smart city ecosystem at large. The panel on ‘Safety & Security of Tech Backbone – Command & Control Center Operations’ had intense discussion from industry stalwarts. The panel focused on bringing efficiency in command & control center operations in a smart city. Emphasizing the need for safety in cities, Samrendra Kumar, MD, MitKat Advisory said, “A smart city by definition must be safe, secure and resilient.” The concluding panel focused on ‘Cybersecurity & Privacy in Smart City.’ The panel saw participation from the audience to understand how the pervasive technology is going to affect their privacy and what is being done to alleviate those concerns. The panel was moderated by Samrendra Kumar. The event was successfully organized by Corptive Research Private Limited, which earlier hosted the Safe Secure Workplaces Conference in New Delhi in February 2019, and the same will be the next.
HPE Announces $500 Million Investment in India to Drive Innovation and Growth
Hewlett Packard Enterprise plans to invest $500 million in India over the next five years. This strategic investment underscores HPE’s long-term commitment to India and will enable the company to grow its operations, manufacturing and employee base in the country, increase its R&D and services exports, as well as invest in technology initiatives to drive positive change for local Indian communities. “The Modi 2.0 administration’s vision of a $5 trillion economy is impressive and fitting for a country with this level of energy and opportunity,” said Antonio Neri, President and CEO of HPE and a member of the US-India CEO Forum, “India is one of the largest and fastest-growing economies in the world, and our investments will further develop the country as a critical market for HPE’s global business, as well as benefit our customers, partners, employees and the citizens of India.” “It is a matter of great assurance that a global giant like Hewlett Packard Enterprise is making big investments in India both in manufacturing as well as research and development,” said Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Law & Justice, Communication and Electronics & Information Technology, “This shows the rising confidence of global investors in India’s rapidly growing electronics manufacturing sector and the success of Digital India.” Development of India as a key growth market through hiring and manufacturing To support India’s continued growth as a strategic market for HPE’s global business, HPE plans to increase its workforce in India by 20% over the next three to five years. In particular, HPE will hire new engineering talent with expertise in areas of critical importance to customers such as AI and networking. HPE will also begin construction of a high-tech extension to its Mahadevapura Campus in Bengaluru that will be able to house more than 10,000 employees, as well as stateof-the-art R&D facilities. When complete, the 1.3-millionsquare-foot campus will feature a state-of-the-art workplace, powered by HPE technologies, designed to enhance the employee, customer, and partner experience and foster a culture of innovation. The campus will support a broad range of functions including R&D, engineering services, finance, and sales. “Through our strategic investments in India we will continue to enhance our ability to help customers use technology to redefine experiences, improve operations and achieve their business goals,” said Som Satsangi, MD, HPE India, “To deliver on that commitment, we are creating a culture for growth and innovation at HPE. Our new campus will help us to retain and attract quality talent to deliver for our customers and for the citizens of India.” HPE also plans to commence manufacturing in India. The company is scheduled to start manufacturing Aruba’s portfolio of mobility and IoT solutions in India before the end of 2019. Data and connectivity are catalysts for growth in India, and Aruba’s strong intellectual property and mobile-first philosophy make it ideally poised to facilitate this growth. The manufacturing capability in India will allow Aruba to rapidly innovate networking solutions that will deliver benefits in support of the Digital India agenda and to customers across the country. Investments in innovation to drive positive societal change The HPE investment also includes innovations in support of the Indian government’s initiatives to apply technology to drive positive societal change in critical areas. eEducation: To address the gap of digital literacy among youth in rural areas, HPE has collaborated with NASSCOM Foundation to establish fully equipped digital classrooms under national digital literacy mission (NDLM). These digital classrooms are an innovative, practical and cost-effective solution to deliver skills training to citizens seeking digital literacy education. There are over 50 digital classrooms across the country with four more set to be launched shortly in Maharashtra. Additionally, HPE along with Agastya International Foundation will set-up a Center of Excellence in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, focused on skilling students in IoT-based agriculture. The facility features advanced IT solutions that are at the leading edge of the agricultural sector’s innovation toward higher food production from finite land resources. eHealth: Addressing the need for affordable healthcare in emerging cities, the HPE eHealth Center (eHC) initiative helps improve access and effectiveness of primary healthcare in underserved areas. These eHCs are a cloud-enabled healthcare infrastructure solution that also offer health data analytics. Across India, more than 130 eHCs and 150 mobile eHCs are operational, and 15 new centers will be established across six states. The eHCs have already facilitated over 800,000 patient visits. In support of the government’s target of making India TB-free by 2025, HPE announced it has signed the USAID TB pledge to provide free diagnostic services to more than 50,000 people through its eHC network. Digital village: Aligning with the government’s initiative to launch 100,000 digital villages in the next five years, HPE is today announcing a further five villages to benefit from a range of services including the HPE digital classroom, HPE’s eHealth Center, free public Wi-Fi provided by HPE Aruba and a range of online citizen services. This builds on the successful pilot launched last year in Manasampally, Telangana. Helping Indian enterprises drive digital transformation Finally, the HPE investment will help enterprises in India redefine experiences, drive intelligent operations and extract value from their data. For example, Vodafone Idea, the largest mobile operator in India, is working with HPE to transform the network’s service & network operations center which controls its vast network and service offerings to over 334 million subscribers using HPE next generation operations support systems (OSS) and HPE intelligent assurance to turn vast amounts of telecommunications network data into actionable insight. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is a global technology leader focused on developing intelligent solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze, and act upon data seamlessly from edge to cloud. HPE enables customers to accelerate business outcomes by driving new business models, creating new customer and employee experiences, and increasing operational efficiency today and into the future.
International Police Expo 2019
Policing is a matter of state and always needs equal attention like defence. Indian government is paying right attention towards the forces’ modernization. On the sidelines of SMART police, MPF scheme (Modernization of Police Forces), budgetary allocation of over ‘25,000 crores etc., Nexgen Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd. organized 5th edition of International Police Expo in New Delhi, during 19-20 July 2019. Latest technologies from Singapore, Israel, Korea, Taiwan, China, UK, USA, Malaysia, Germany, Australia, Poland and other leading arms manufacturing nations showcased at the expo. There were more than 80 companies who displayed their innovative products and technology for the police and other armed forces of India. The event was graced by the presence of dignitaries like Gen. V K Singh (Retd.), Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Government of India; Dr Vijay Kumar Saraswat, Member, Niti Aayog, Government of India; and Ranjit Narayan, IPS (Retd.) Executive Director, Delhi International Airport Ltd etc. Ravindra Kishore Sinha, an Indian billionaire businessman and Rajya Sabha member from BJP inaugurated the Expo. In his address Mr. Sinha said, “It is easier to identify enemies that we share borders with but it is very difficult to identify who are a threat to the internal security. So modernisation of policing is not only essential but if neglected would create a grave danger. I have always advocated increase of budget for internal security of the country, and with Amit Shah taking the control we might get that increase in budget. He comes from an area near the border, and hence he understands the importance of internal security. While other armed forces are reactive, policing is required to be proactive. What is important for this is integration of detection technologies and communication with response equipment controlled by trained personnel.” According to Dr Vijay Kumar Saraswat, Member, Niti Aayog, “It is a good initiative for Police Forces of India.” This year expo brought innovative technologies, firearms, drones and security equipment for police, CAPFs and CPOs of India. For the very first time, many companies from the background of ballistics and firearms launched themselves officially through this platform like TVS Group, Counter Measure Technologies (A representative of GLock Firearms) etc. The highlights of the event were Bhabha Kavach, a 360 degree protective wear for Indian soldiers and police officers developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), which is cheaper and lightweight; innovative fire suppression pipe for cars by Deccaleap; flood sacks for disaster management; rugged systems for army and police; advanced lightweight and maneuverable bomb suits by Rotax; advanced forensic systems by ForensicGuru etc. The event was attended by more than 3000 attendees comprising various senior officers like DGPs, ADGPs, IGPs, DIGPs, IPS officers, army, airforce, coast guards, NSG commandos, SPG commandos, forensic lab scientists, government officials from state police forces, CAPFs, CPOs, SPG, NSG, parliament security, DRDO, army design bureau, COAS etc. The event concluded on the highest notes from where it is going to be bigger and better next year. The next edition is scheduled on 14-15 May 2020 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India. The organizers are expecting more innovative security technologies next year for display.
CAPSI Signs MoU with ASSOCHAM to Promote STAR scheme
The Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) has recently partnered with the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) and signed an MoU with them to accelerate the promotion and propagation of the ‘Security sTar Agencies Rating’ (STAR) scheme for private security agencies (PSAs). The MoU was signed jointly by Kunwar Vikram Singh, Chairman, CAPSI and Saurabh Sanyal, Deputy Secretary General, ASSOCHAM. The ‘Security sTar Agencies Rating’ (STAR) scheme has been conceptualized and developed by CAPSI with the active help and support of the Quality Council of India (QCI), the country’s apex quality facilitation and national accreditation body. The scheme was launched in February this year during the Special Standards Conclave organized by the Ministry of Commerce in Mumbai. It, for the first time, introduces standardized labels of quality for the country’s 22,000 private security agencies. The scheme aims to regulate private security agencies on the basis of internationally accepted ISO standards. “The scheme will prove to be a game changer in the overall functioning of the private security agencies in India. The STAR scheme envisages a ‘seven star’ rating system purely based on competence and compliance factors,” said Kunwar Vikram Singh, “Based on sound technical requirements and certification, STAR rating by CAPSI & QCI will give both private security industry and clients the confidence and assurance of providing high standard security services. The certification will open new horizons for the private security industry and provide a sound foundation for the recognition of this sector.” “Security sTar Agencies Rating Scheme is a landmark development for the Indian security industry. It brings the much-needed quality standards benefitting all stakeholders across the board. It would lead to encouraging good and effective security services providers and thus helping society in better crime protection and risk management. Its successful adoption would be a total game changer by establishing true confidence even with police and government authorities. Both CAPSI and QCI have shown a tremendous sense of responsibility in meticulously defining and establishing the certification criteria and volunteering themselves. ASSOCHAM is proud to endorse its implementation for the safety and security of end-users” – Anil Dhawan Co-Chairman, NCHS & DM – ASSOCHAM Saurabh Sanyal commented, “It is a very unique step taken by CAPSI along with QCI to modernize and upgrade the private security industry. Over 4.5 lakh Assocham members and its 450 associations will adopt this advanced approach to private security management. Apart from physical security, we will also move towards addressing the modern day challenges related to cybersecurity.” The certification levels range from a single star to seven stars with each successive one implying incrementally higher quality. A 1-star agency would merely need to be compliant with the regulatory requirements prescribed under PSARA 2005, while a 7-star agency would represent professionally managed security operations complying with the best global standards. The ratings would help domestic consumers make informed choices and bolster the country’s opportunities to export private security services. “This initiative will work for the domestic market and help us expand services in other countries,” added the CAPSI Chairman, “Indian companies are already providing security services to customers in West Asia, Africa and Europe.” “The STAR scheme is a testimony to our commitment and embodies our belief that while Indian industry should adopt international standards, the industry may need to do so in phases, and hence there is a provision of levels of certification with the ultimate objective of meeting international standards like ISO 9001 as also domestic regulations. The QCI expects that it could take about six months before the first set of private security agencies prepare themselves for assessment to earn the stars” – Anil Jauhri CEO, National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies, QCI Earlier this year, a team of four CAPSI members facilitated by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and External Affairs, Government of India, visited Qatar and met local officials to explore and discuss opportunities towards the security requirements during the FIFA World Cup sched uled in the country in 2022. The certification seeking security agencies will be assessed on multiple technical and operational parameters including competence and quality of training, internal management practices, problem-solving capacities, equipment and resources, communication and documentation, and internal audits and so on. In accordance with the governing structure, the STAR scheme has three bodies – Steering, Technical and Certification Committees. After due deliberations they have formulated various guidelines relating to the scheme. The scheme was approved by the Steering Committee headed by AN Roy, former DGP, Mumbai. While one star rating corresponds to the mere PSARA compliance, three star rating encompasses certain essential management compliances along with the basic PSARA criteria. Similarly, five star rating corresponds to the criteria laid down in ISO90001(+) and seven star rating corresponds to the International ISO 18788. The intervening even number of star rating will be given to the PSAs who maintain sustained compliance for three years on their present rating. The scheme has been welcomed by the security industry, the business houses, as well as government bodies.
it-sa India 2019
The second edition of it-sa India 2019 – India’s IT Security Expo & Conference – recently concluded on a successful note at BEC, Mumbai. Organized by NürnbergMesse India, the event was supported by TeleTrust, Data Security Council of India, FICCI and the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce; Deloitte was the knowledge partner for the event. The event attracted more than 900 attendees. The event gained wider relevance considering the growth of major drivers of IT security market in India which included the growth of internet penetration, data theft, rise in the usage of smart handled devices in India, globalization and liberalization, amongst others. Brands of repute such as Siemens, SAP, TeleSoft, GlobalSign, Invest in Bavaria, Widas, Hikvision etc., showcased their latest innovations and cutting-edge technologies during the show. The event also witnessed an Indo-German Expert workshop on the topic of ‘Securing the Internet of Things: Indo-German Exchange on Standards and Certification’ which was organized on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, by GIZ – the German Agency for International Cooperation in collaboration with the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC). Given the international relevance of IoT device security, India and Germany collaborated on effective responses by the public and private sectors. The workshop was attended by senior officials from the Indian Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, the Indian Ministry of Electronics and IT, the Bureau of Indian Standards, and representatives from German and Indian companies and industry associations. The conference program at it-sa India powered by Deloitte featured discussions and presentations on a series of relevant and innovative themes including combatting threats through new age technology, increasing importance of cyber insurance, assuring a secure ecosystem, growing demand for cyber talents and so on. Featuring some of the top experts from the industry, the program highlighted and brought to the forefront key issues which will play a significant role in shaping the future of the Industry. Other highlights included key note session with Paula Januszkiewicz, Security Expert and Founder and Ceo of CQURE Academy, who presented on ‘Think and Act Like a Hacker to Protect Your Company’s Assets.’ The session’s inaugural key note was delivered by Brijesh Singh, Special Inspector General of Police for Cyber, Govt. of Maharashtra. The relevance of it-sa India is also endorsed by key exhibitors. Rohit Singh, Country Head – Asia-pac and India, Telesoft Technologies Ltd. said, “An excellent insight into the challenging and changing cyber world, providing a wealth of knowledge to help the public, private and government agencies remain safe and compliant in the digital world. it-sa India was well organised, there were good topics in presentations, and informative discussions. It was a great event with broad spectrum of delegates and opportunity to network with thought leaders.” “it-sa India event was an excellent opportunity to connect and network with cyber security industry stakeholders and ecosystem partners. The event turned out to be an excellent platform to showcase Hikvision’s latest security and surveillance solutions. The event has helped create awareness about cyber security across verticals, which will help bolster the Digital India vision,” said Ashish P. Dhakan, MD & CEO, Prama Hikvision India Pvt. Ltd. The next edition of the event will take place in Mumbai in 2020.