Global cyber security firm Kaspersky said it expects India to become the top market in terms of mobile consumers in the Asia Pacific region in the next 5-10 years, driven by a sharp increase in usage of handsets and tablets.
From mobile Internet perspective, India is one of the close markets for the company, Stephan Neumeier, Managing Director APAC (Asia Pacific region) Kaspersky Lab told PTI in an interview.
“Probably India can become number one market in terms of mobile consumers in the next 5-10 years in Asia Pacific and may be in the world,” Neumeier said.
A lot of young consumers are moving directly to mobile phones and tablets and are not focussing much on personal computers or laptops, he explained.
Besides, the Indian government is investing massively on creating infrastructure for a greater Internet penetration that will bolster the prospects for consumer business.
“Today we have much faster Internet speed in bigger cities, connectivity is more or less available everywhere today. With that, consumers will obviously consume data in a much better and faster manner than they used to be,” Neumeier said.
However, he said there is a need for raising awareness about cyber security among younger generation as securing devices from potential cyber threats is not one of their top priorities while purchasing mobile phones or tablets.
There is limited understanding of protecting the devices and that is why Kaspersky is cooperating with telecom operators so that the can bundle the cyber security products along with the mobile internet subscription, the official said.
Without sharing any name, he said one contract is in the making with one of the telecom companies to bundle Kaspersky products with the consumers mobile subscription.
Talking about the market share in the APAC region, he said India constitutes about 15 per cent of its business and expects to grow it to 20 per cent within two years.
On asked about how the company is engaging itself with the Indian government in an increasingly global environment of cyber threats and data vulnerability, Neumeier said the focus is on creating awareness, educating the consumers and creating the infrastructure.
He said today it is very important that governments and companies not only have foresight in having the right technology in place to protect their systems and controls but also to gauge what threat might come in order to predict in future.
The Russia-based company has been banned to work with the US government on allegations of spying for the Kremlin.
On asked how it is going to affect Kaspersky’s business elsewhere, Neumeier said there is no impact in the APAC region including in India and China.
