A major cybersecurity reformation may be underway for the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) after the regulatory body was asked to involve the Ministry of Defence while drafting policies and regulations in the telecommunication space.
This involvement of the Defence Ministry in the functions of the telecom regulatory body is a response to TRAI’s consultation on leveraging the use of AI for handling big data. Big data refers to a large stock of data that is complex and requires more sophisticated tools to process.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), when used by the telecommunications industry, such as the TRAI that handles unfathomable amounts of user data, must be well-secured. Using AI without updated security measures may expose it to risk, which can have a catastrophic impact on the privacy of Indian users. Hence, the MoD asked the telecommunications sector to keep the government of India (GoI) and itself in the loop while working on the AI infrastructure as well as safeguard the data intelligence of the armed forces.
Better transparency and security around AI for TRAI
Added to that, the MoD also emphasized the need to include appropriate stakeholders in critical decision-making and keep them updated regarding AI-based big data analytics.
MoD also suggested having law enforcement agencies audit the protocols that the telecommunication stakeholders have set up. Pointing to the reactive measures on cyberattacks as opposed to the limited proactive tools, the Ministry of Defence expressed concern because the internet services providers (ISPs) and the telecommunication services providers (TSPs) toggle between networks extensively.
This would help detect threats and malware impacting the network of the Indian armed forces that connects using civil hired media.
Since TRAI amasses a vast wealth of caller data, the Defence Ministry suggested using AI to its fullest in detecting and guarding against security loopholes.
While the telecommunication industry head honchos have expressed differing views about whether using AI with big data would lead to better spectrum management and quality of telecom services, the world at large is counting on Indian services.
To cater to the ever-developing 5G ecosystem, global companies seem to be seeking Indian alternatives to their Chinese counterpart. More so, due to the geopolitically questionable scenario.
India has a population of over 1,414,682,800 based on the live recordings by the American library association (ALA) voted, worldometers.
In the last few months of 2022, TRAI had over 1,000 million telephone subscribers. Moreover, India ranks second globally in for having the highest number of telecom subscribers. There is an immense need for 5G-ready technology and skilled staff.