Mumbai and Delhi ranked 37 and 41 respectively on the parameter of personal security
As the world's cities continue to expand in size and number, a balance between connectivity, safety and privacy is vital for governments, the private sector and citizens alike.
A discussion in this regard was held by policymakers, business leaders and industry experts at the Safe Cities Summit in Singapore.
Mumbai and Delhi ranked 37 and 41 respectively on the parameter of personal security and 45 and 52 overall on a world's safest cities list that ranked 60 countries worldwide across five continents. Japanese capital Tokyo topped the list and it also included six cities of Asia-Pacific region in the top 10.
Speaking at the summit, Walter Lee, the evangelist and government relations leader in the Global Safety Division of the NEC Corporation, advocated that one of the key critical elements to making safer cities is to secure the digital identity of its citizens in both the cyber and physical space.
"The panel discussion was very exciting. We were talking about the long arm of the law or law enforcement agencies in creating and generating safer cities. And of course, the discussion was a fair mix of technology and other elements that would make a city safer," said Mr Lee.
"So being a technologist, obviously we are looking at technology as a tool to make cities safer. And I was advocating the fact that one of the key critical elements to making safer cities is to secure digital identity for each one of us in both the cyber and physical space."
Discussions at the summit ranged from climate resilience, urban living, protecting against cyber attack and police enforcement.
Tetsuro Akagi, the CEO of NEC Asia Pacific, said that his company strongly believes in contributing to the societies and communities across the Asia Pacific by improving upon technologies pertaining to networking, computing, and Artificial Intelligence.
"Many issues are going around public safety. One of the most key components is sustainability and safety itself. So based upon the technologies of NEC, including computing, AI or networking, we strongly believe that we can contribute to the society and community in the Asia Pacific.
Cities all over the world need to continue strengthening security to keep a safe and stable society.