India plans to raise own cyber army

Offering amnesty from prosecution for hacking activities, the Indian government is planning and hoping to attract IT experts and ethical hackers and recruit them into the national “cyber army”.

Due to the lately increased number of attacks on government computers and pilfering of confidential documents by what is believed to have been Chinese hackers working under tacit consent of the Chinese government, India is considering the idea to form a line of defense against foreign intrusions, spying and potential sabotage.

According to The Economic Times of India, the meeting at which the proposal was heard was held on July 29, and gathered National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon, the director of the Intelligence Bureau, senior officials of the telecom department, IT ministry and security agencies.

But, it is not only offense they are interested in. Taking the saying “The best defense is a good offense” to heart, this future cyber army will also be used to spy on other nations by breaching computer systems and networks. And since India has a very strict law against hacking – which can land the perpetrator in jail for up to three years – it will have to be changed to exempt “patriotic” ethical hackers.