The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has urged the government to address security concerns of the private sector. In a report on “National Security and Terrorism,” a task force of FICCI has favoured the creation of a national counter-terrorism agency; a national intelligence grid; Ministry of internal security with a full-fledged Cabinet Minister; and a new intelligence agency to deal with non-state actors.
The report also called for implementing police reforms on a priority basis, re-energising the beat constable system, improving private sector involvement in fighting terrorism, revamping coastal security apparatus and putting more emphasis on “human intelligence.”
On the role for corporate and civil society in fighting terrorism, the report said the private sector must work closely with the public sector to develop and implement a terror prevention and response plan. Recognising the role of IT in the war against terror, it called for improving the quality and mechanisms for exchanging relevant information between government and business so that financing of terrorism could be countered. The task force, headed by Rajiv Chandrasekhar, said in the report that NGOs should explain human rights as a useful framework for developing effective counter-terrorism strategies rather than as an impediment. The report also reflected upon how threat from Bangladesh, and through other porous borders, has assumed serious dimensions. It favoured developing capabilities for covert and overt operations on terrorist locations.
