Huawei 5G Technology Can Be Sacrificed For National Interest: Ex-Cyber Security Chief Gulshan Rai

NEW DELHI: ‘I’m more worried about individuals being monitored and targeted because of lower cyber security in work-from-home conditions because of the pandemic than because of India-China tension after the Galwan killings,’ Dr Gulshan Rai, former National Cyber Security Coordinator told StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi. With reports of tens of thousands of cyber attacks in June, Dr Rai says Indian strategic sectors like defence, space, banking and key infrastructure institutions such as nuclear plants and railways are well prepared with enhanced measures against any hacking attempts from Chinese state sponsored groups. On information warfare, misinformation and propaganda, Dr Rai feels Indians are one-up on their Chinese counterparts in countering those attempts. India’s national interests trump technological ones, the former cyber-security czar insists on the issue of Huawei and 5G trials, with the government best placed to make a decision on the country’s long-term larger goals. On calls for banning chinese apps, Dr Rai insists India should have data standardisation policies for all, with heavy penalties for defaulters.

Dr Gulshan Rai has also served as Director General, CERT-In (Computer Emergency Response Team).