Terrorists’ Target List has Indian Software Industry at Top: Govt

Union Home Secretary GK Pillai has said that country’s software industry, which is acclaimed worldwide, is high on terrorists’ target list, with sensitive installations like atomic plants located on the coastline being susceptible to terror attacks.

“We are world leaders in software. But software industry is high on the threat list,” Pillai said.

He made the statement when he was addressing a conference on ‘Challenge of Terrorism to India’s Infrastructure and Economy’ in New Delhi.

Pillai also said that all software companies in the country, realizing this fact now, were taking their own measures to guard themselves.

“And the government is also in partnership with many of the companies making effort to provide adequate security (to foil any attempt by the terrorists to target them),” he said.

It may be mentioned that Indian software exports have gone up from Rs 28,350 crore in 2000-01 to an estimated Rs 216,300 crore in 2008-09. Despite global economic recession, the industry is likely to grow by 16 per cent during this fiscal and record revenue of USD 60 billion.

Pillai said that India’s western coastline hosting several petroleum and nuclear installations is also vulnerable to terror strikes from the sea route.

“Petroleum and nuclear installations located on the western coast are highly vulnerable,” he said.