Latest news with #SafetyCharter
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Google launches Google Safety Engineering Centre, India at Hyderabad
GSEC India to operationalise Google's Safety Charter for India's AI-led TransformationThe first GSEC in Asia-Pacific and fourth globally, brings together privacy engineering, cybersecurity, and responsible AI developmentStrategic partnerships with the Telangana government and academic institutions to strengthen India's digital safety ecosystem Hyderabad, June 18, 2025: Google today inaugurated its Google Safety Engineering Centre, India (GSEC India) in Hyderabad, the first such facility in the Asia-Pacific region and fourth globally. Telangana Chief Minister Shri Anumula Revanth Reddy inaugurated the facility along with the IT Minister Shri D. Sridhar Babu. It marks a pivotal milestone in the company's commitment to securing India's digital future. The inauguration follows the unveiling of Google's Safety Charter for India's AI-led Transformation in Delhi on 17th June. GSEC in India will serve as the operational heart where strategic commitments transform into tangible solutions; and represents a unique convergence of Google's global safety expertise, bringing together teams focused on privacy and security engineering, and advanced cybersecurity capabilities under one strategic umbrella to address India's distinct digital landscape. GSEC India will operationalise the three foundational pillars of Google's Safety Charter—keeping end users safe from online fraud and scams, strengthening cybersecurity for government and enterprise infrastructure, and building AI responsibly—while serving as a regional hub for developing solutions across the broader APAC region. Preeti Lobana , Country Manager and Vice President, Google India, said, " For India's digital engine to keep growing and powering its ambitious future, we must keep building trust in how users and enterprises access the digital landscape. With the inauguration of GSEC India today, we are bringing our global experience and expertise—from cutting-edge AI to foundational cybersecurity and user protection—to realize this commitment. Safety is a shared responsibility and this launch is a call for the entire ecosystem to come together and collaborate to make the entire chain stronger and smarter." Heather Adkins , Vice President of Engineering, Google Security, highlighted, "At Google, safety is built into everything we do, grounded in our 'secure by design, secure by default' philosophy. AI represents an inflection point for digital security - a force multiplier that narrows the gap between defenders and attackers, even eliminating it entirely in some cases . With GSEC India, we're situating these capabilities in India to serve its unique landscape and also be a lighthouse for our global security efforts.' Shri Anumula Revanth Reddy, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Telangana, emphasised, "The establishment of GSEC represents a pivotal moment in Telangana's journey toward becoming a global hub for cybersecurity innovation. This first-of-its-kind facility in the Asia-Pacific region affirms Hyderabad's crucial role in developing privacy, safety, and cyber-defence solutions for the next billion users, placing our state at the forefront of global digital safety efforts. With Telangana's GSDP projected to reach ₹16.5 lakh crore and IT/ITeS exports rising to ₹2.7 lakh crore, supporting over 9.5 lakh high-skill jobs, GSEC's presence will attract top-tier safety engineers and foster collaboration with academic institutions to tackle India's unique cybersecurity challenges while creating thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities." Shri D. Sridhar Babu, IT Minister, Telangana, stated, "The inauguration of GSEC India demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in building a secure digital infrastructure for our nation. This center will serve as a catalyst for innovation in cybersecurity, responsible AI development, and digital safety—areas critical to India's vision of becoming a global technology leader. We welcome Google's significant investment in Telangana's ecosystem and look forward to the transformative impact this facility will have on strengthening our state's position as a premier destination for cutting-edge technology research and development." Operationalising India's Digital Safety Blueprint GSEC India addresses India's rapidly evolving threat landscape—where APAC accounts for half of all global APT activity and India faces projected cybercrime losses of up to ₹20,000 crore by 2025—through a comprehensive, proactive approach combining AI-powered threat detection, ecosystem collaboration, and forward-looking policy measures. The facility will operationalise advanced AI and large language models (LLMs) to power real-time scam alerts on Android via Gemini Nano, strengthen Google Play Protect, and enhance fraud detection across Google Pay, Search, and Gmail. It will also tackle AI-driven deception through adversarial testing, AI-assisted red teaming, and tools like SynthID to watermark AI-generated content. GSEC India emphasises ecosystem collaboration and intelligence sharing via platforms like the Global Signals Exchange (GSE), supports education and user awareness initiatives tailored to India's scale and linguistic diversity, and advances research in areas like Post-Quantum Cryptography through partnerships such as its work with IIT-Madras. Building on a Strong Foundation in Telangana Google's nearly two-decade partnership with Telangana began with its first Indian office in Hyderabad in 2004—one of Google's largest base outside the U.S. This longstanding collaboration has driven impactful initiatives, including the AnthroKrishi project using AI for sustainable agriculture, traffic optimization systems with Hyderabad Police, and the launch of a Google Startup Hub to accelerate AI adoption. The partnership also extends to skill development through the Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK), enabling access to Google's IT Support Certificates to prepare citizens for the digital economy, underscoring the state's commitment to leveraging technology for inclusive growth. Global hub for safety innovation GSEC India lies at the core of Google's mission to advance ethical and responsible AI development through rigorous model testing for safety and fairness, robust content policies, and user-focused transparency tools. As a regional innovation hub, the centre will lead the development of scalable safety solutions tailored to India's unique needs, while also supporting Google's global vision for a safer internet. Its strategic role includes close engagement with policymakers, partners, and customers across APAC, reinforcing India's position as a key driver in the region's digital transformation. The inauguration of GSEC India represents a transformative moment for digital safety in the Asia-Pacific region, combining Google's cutting-edge technology capabilities with India's fresher talent ecosystem to build a safer, more resilient digital future for billions of users worldwide.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Google rolls out Hyderabad hub for online safety: Launches first Indian Google Safety Engineering Centre
Google has officially opened the Google Safety Engineering Centre , India ( GSEC India ) in Hyderabad its first such facility in the Asia-Pacific region and only the fourth globally. The launch was led by Telangana Chief Minister Shri Anumula Revanth Reddy and IT Minister Shri D. Sridhar Babu, a day after Google unveiled its Safety Charter for India's AI-led transformation in Delhi. GSEC India will act as a central hub for turning Google's safety commitments into real-world solutions tailored to India's digital landscape. The facility brings together experts in privacy, security engineering, and cybersecurity under one roof. The centre will focus on three key areas outlined in Google's Safety Charter: protecting users from online scams and fraud, enhancing cybersecurity for government and enterprise systems, and ensuring responsible AI development. It will also serve as a regional hub for scaling these solutions across the broader Asia-Pacific region. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Operationalising India's Digital Safety Blueprint: GSEC India Takes Centre Stage As India faces a growing wave of digital threats ranging from sophisticated APT attacks (with APAC accounting for 50% of global activity) to projected cybercrime losses nearing Rs 20,000 crore by 2025, Google's new Safety Engineering Centre in Hyderabad (GSEC India) aims to be a proactive line of defense. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Prime Swing Trader Mr. Hemant Shares His Winning Strategy for Free! TradeWise Learn More Undo The facility will deploy advanced AI and large language models (LLMs) to deliver real-time scam alerts on Android via Gemini Nano, enhance fraud detection across Google Pay, Gmail, and Search, and strengthen Play Protect. It also addresses challenges like AI-generated deception through red teaming, adversarial testing, and watermarking tools like SynthID. Beyond tech, GSEC India will foster ecosystem-wide collaboration through platforms like the Global Signals Exchange (GSE), ramp up user education efforts across India's diverse linguistic landscape, and support cutting-edge research such as Post-Quantum Cryptography in partnership with institutions like IIT-Madras . A Longstanding Telangana Partnership Google's roots in Telangana date back to 2004, when it opened its first Indian office in Hyderabad—now one of its largest bases outside the U.S. Over the years, this partnership has driven initiatives like AnthroKrishi (using AI in agriculture), traffic optimization with Hyderabad Police, and the Google Startup Hub to promote AI adoption. Programs with TASK have also helped equip local youth with job-ready digital skills through access to Google's IT Support Certificates. A Global Hub for Responsible Innovation GSEC India isn't just a local initiative; it's a strategic part of Google's global safety vision. The centre will lead the development of scalable, responsible AI practices, support policy engagement across APAC, and create user-centric transparency tools. It marks India's rise as a vital force in shaping global digital safety standards. The launch of GSEC India is more than a facility opening—it's a signal that India will play a central role in building a safer, smarter internet for billions worldwide.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Google Safety Engineering Centre India inaugurated in Hyderabad
Tech major Google opened Google Safety Engineering Centre, India (GSEC India) in Hyderabad on Wednesday (June 18, 2025). A first such facility in the Asia-Pacific region and fourth globally of Google, the centre was inaugurated by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy in the presence of IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu, senior leadership of the company, government officials and others. The new GSEC is unique convergence of Google's global safety expertise, bringing together teams focused on privacy and security engineering, and advanced cybersecurity capabilities under one strategic umbrella to address India's distinct digital landscape. It will operationalise the three foundational pillars of Google's Safety Charter — keeping end users safe from online fraud and scams; strengthening cybersecurity for government and enterprise infrastructure, and building AI responsibly — while serving as a regional hub for developing solutions across the broader APAC region, the company said. Inaugurating the centre, Mr. Reddy sought to underscore how the facility assumes significance in the context of enhanced digital security becoming imperative amid more users. He said the facility builds on the strong ties Google has established with Hyderabad since it the company's first office was set up in the city in 2007. 'Google and Hyderabad are old friends' 'Google and Hyderabad are old friends. About 7,000 Googlers call Hyderabad their home,' the Chief Minister said, urging the company to support the State government's initiatives to economically empower women. His government has set out on making at least 1 crore millionaires and towards this initiated various schemes, including those related to public transportation and solar power generation. Mr. Reddy also sought to highlight how the setting of the GSEC in Hyderabad is in line with the growing popularity of the city and State as a preferred destination for investors. For global companies scouting for locations to invest, Telangana is an obvious choice and Hyderabad the first link, in the State, he declared. The State is pursuing a goal of becoming a $3 trillion economy by 2047 and towards this focussing on various growth boosters, including skill development of youth. Mr. Sridhar Babu said the new facility of Google will serve as a catalyst for innovation in cybersecurity, responsible AI development, and digital safety — areas critical to India's vision of becoming a global technology leader. 'We welcome Google's significant investment in Telangana's ecosystem and look forward to the transformative impact this facility will have on strengthening our State's position as a premier destination for cutting-edge technology research and development,' he said.
Hans India
2 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
Google move to make digital space safer
New Delhi: Google on Tuesday announced a major initiative to make India's digital space safer by unveiling its new 'Safety Charter' during the 'Safer with Google India Summit'. Google's 'Digikavach' programme, a key part of the initiative, has already reached over 17.7 crore Indians with AI-powered tools and awareness campaigns against financial scams. Google's Search now identifies 20 times more scam websites, and scam attacks on customer service and government platforms have dropped by 80 per cent and 70 per cent, respectively. On the messaging side, Google Messages is blocking over 500 million scam texts every Pay, which is widely used in India, has sent out over 4.1 crore alerts to warn users about possible frauds. It also helped prevent fraud worth Rs 13,000 crore in 2024 alone. The company's app safety system, Google Play Protect, has blocked nearly 6 crore risky app installs across 1.3 crore devices since it was piloted in India in October which is used by billions globally, is automatically stopping more than 99.9 per cent of spam, phishing attempts and malware. Google is also working to strengthen cybersecurity on a larger scale. To further support the ecosystem, has pledged $20 million to expand the Asia-Pacific Cybersecurity Fund, including $5 million to The Asia will help set up 10 new cyberclinics in the region and partner with Indian universities to train students and small businesses in digital safety. Another key partnership was announced with IIT-Madras to advance Post-Quantum Cryptography. Preeti Lobana, Vice President and Country Manager for Google India, said that building trust in India's digital infrastructure is crucial to the country's development added that Google's AI systems are already able to detect never-before-seen scams and attacks, giving users an added layer of protection.
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Google invests in SMB cybersecurity adoption as attackers focus on India
NEW DELHI : Big Tech firm Google on Tuesday announced an additional $5 million in funding to global nonprofit The Asia Foundation, as part of its 'Safety Charter' for establishing better cybersecurity practices among India's 75 million-plus small and medium businesses (SMBs). The move is a part of Google's efforts to take global cues and reduce cyber threats encountered by businesses that are largely online-facing, for which India is one of the world's largest markets, said Heather Adkins, vice-president of security engineering and founding member of Google's security team, in an interview with Mint. 'With the sheer volume of the Indian market, there is a massive amount of cyber threats that small businesses with limited resources face in India. We're working with key government departments to raise awareness and help government officials take a cyber-first mindset, and are also ramping up our total funding of cybersecurity clinics for SMBs to $20 million to help the small businesses ramp up the prioritising of cybersecurity initiatives," Adkins said. Also Read: How tech is transforming the Indian car market On Tuesday, Google also said that it is ramping up its existing awareness initiatives with officials at the home affairs ministry and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) in the face of rising scams—now popular as digital arrests. Some such attacks have seen individuals lose up to $700,000 in targeted scams, leveraging identity theft, spear phishing, and other various techniques. The Big Tech firm's safety initiatives in question seek to tackle a larger threat, which cybersecurity industry stakeholders have repeatedly raised will require efforts from governments, private firms in a public-private partnership (PPP) model, and stakeholders across agencies. To this end, Adkins said that the company already plays a role in enabling the sharing of data between organisations and geographies, as and where necessary. Collaboration across borders 'Data sharing across geographies still requires the requisite regulations to play out as intended. But if two nations are actively collaborating, then we're often a part of enabling the sharing of information as far as possible for investigations to materialise. On our end, we read trends originating in one geography to enforce preventative measures in another nation, to see if we can prevent scams from replicating across geographies. We're actively leveraging automated and artificial intelligence markers to detect which patterns of usage or conversations lead to scams and cyber breaches, and a key part of our India charter is to try and prevent them," she said. Industry stakeholders believe that investing in a ground-up solution, the roots of which Google underlined as part of its cybersecurity efforts with small businesses, could be key. Also Read: Sarvam, India's most well-funded AI startup, takes to the Big Tech playbook 'By sheer volume, small and medium businesses are the root points of an online security stack, and your cybersecurity is only as secure as its weakest link. To this end, can we set up a cyber dome akin to Israel's 'Iron Dome' air defence system? Today, this is steadily becoming an imperative," said Aditya Varma, commander (retired), Indian Navy and head, defence and homeland security for STL Networks Ltd. The key to achieving this, Varma added, would be to offer a rationalised cost structure for small businesses to invest in cybersecurity. 'It's difficult to demarcate where critical infrastructure begins in a stack of operations among businesses. The government has to play a role in subsidising access to cybersecurity, and companies such as Google, while having the capacity, could see complex business cases in bringing small businesses into the cyber-secure network," he said. Android majority Adkins, however, added that Google continues to invest in cybersecurity efforts in India, since the vast variety of businesses and the size of the country's consumers naturally make it a hotspot for various cyber scams and spam. As part of these efforts, Google is also ramping up its efforts to notify if a call is a potential spam—baking the feature natively into its Android ecosystem, she said. The latter accounts for over 95% of the 750 million active smartphones in India. This is a key factor affecting millions of users daily, beyond cyber attacks permeating small business networks. In February, Singapore-based cybersecurity firm Cyfirma highlighted the propagation of 'SpyLend'—a 'simplified finance and lending" application that spread data-stealing malware across more than 100,000 devices within one week. Also Read: India's big AI test is here: Making sovereign language models work To take on this, India is a key part of Google's security engineering efforts. 'Our security team is spread around the world—overall, we have nearly 8,000 people working horizontally across divisions on security initiatives. In India, we have over 1,000 people based in Bengaluru and Hyderabad working on security in products, security strategies, government partnerships and more. We're using these to scan billions of mobile applications on Android, and eventually, hope that we can filter out as many threats as possible," Adkins said.
