PUNE: This could be a shot in the arm for the Indian BPO industry, dependent as it is on information security to carry out its business. A high-level delegation from the US, consisting of top government officials and 80 industry representatives, is visiting India next week to bring out a charter for Indo-US co-operation in the field of cyber-security, cyber-laws and cyber-forensics.

"Fundamentally, the charter will look at co-operation between India and the US in policing cyberspace," said Capt. Felix Mohan, Director - SecureSynergy and the Indian industry representative on the Indo-US security forum. This is the first time such a huge delegation is coming to India and is a watershed development in Indian cyber-security, he said.

Mohan was speaking on the sidelines of a seminar organised by the Mahratta chamber of commerce, industries and agriculture in Pune, on Wednesday.

According to Mohan, in this era of globalisation, the national information infrastructure of all countries was inter-connected, and it was in the interest of every country to be equally secure. One weak link could pose a threat to the security of other links. The visit of the US delegation should be seen in this light, he said.

Apart from members of the US industry, the delegation comprises top officials from agencies of the US government concerned with security, the US departments of state, commerce and justice and homeland security.

While the delegation is in India, the Confederation of Indian industry (CII) and the National security council secretariat will organise a seminar on April 18 and 19 under the auspices of the Indo-US security forum; while on April 21 and 22, the Indian computer emergency response team (CERT-In) will hold a seminar and workshops on cyber-security along with its counterpart in the US, CERTUS. The Union home ministry will hold a workshop on cyber-law and forensics, at Delhi.

The issues expected to come up for discussion during these seminars and workshops include the protection of intellectual property, the privacy Act, the practices and challenges of cyber-security, emerging threats and trends in cyberspace and the technological challenges that are posed by them.