How the Firewall Protecting Global Healthcare Runs Through India

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As of 2024, India has established itself as the nerve center for healthcare cybersecurity, with over 100 global capability centers (GCCs) in the healthcare and life sciences space, employing more than 280,000 professionals, according to a report by HealthArk. No longer just IT support hubs, these GCCs have become innovation engines, strengthening digital defenses and delivering strategic value to global health systems. 

The urgency has never been greater. During the early months of 2024, cyberattacks led to the breach of over 276 million health records in the US, impacting more than 80% of the population, as reported by the HIPAA Journal. These attacks don’t just compromise data; they disrupt care, delay procedures, and jeopardize lives.

Amid this escalating threat landscape, global centers like Providence’s India GCC are emerging as the first line of defense. By centralizing top-tier talent and harnessing advanced technologies like AI-powered threat detection, these centers are delivering scalable, real-time cybersecurity solutions, identifying vulnerabilities before they explode, and enabling rapid, coordinated responses across systems. The result is resilience at scale, built in India but critical to patient safety in the US. 

At Providence, they have transitioned to a cloud-first infrastructure with cybersecurity embedded into every layer, ensuring full compliance with all US regulations. Their 24×7 Cyber Defense Center in Hyderabad works closely with US teams to enable a follow-the-sun model for monitoring, response, and resolution. Their teams are trained in health care-specific cybersecurity protocols, with a strong focus on compliance, risk mitigation, and continuous innovation. 

Once seen as a support arm, Providence’s India Global Capability Center (GCC) is now a strategic nerve center for cybersecurity innovation in health care. Under the leadership of Murali Krishna, the Chief Global Officer and Country Head, the India team has transformed into a first-responder unit, anticipating threats, crafting defenses, and co-creating new cyber capabilities in partnership with global teams.

Building Future-Proof Cyber Capabilities

In an exclusive conversation with MIT SMR India, Murali said, “We don’t just respond to cyber threats, we anticipate them. Our 24×7 defense center, operational for over five years, integrates our Security Operations Center (SOC), Network Operations Center (NOC), and Mission Control to proactively protect our systems. Our next-gen SIEM platform uses smart agents and knowledge graphs to detect and act on threats in real time.”

This proactive stance is crucial in an industry where patient safety is tightly interwoven with data integrity and device security. With the rising sophistication of ransomware attacks and AI-driven breaches, Providence’s India-based teams are building next-generation capabilities in areas like Zero Trust Architecture, AI-driven threat detection, and even quantum-safe encryption.

Murali explained, “Our cyber teams are not just reacting, they’re innovating. We’ve built a cohesive cyber platform that integrates over 30 data sources, combining proprietary AI models and knowledge graphs. It enables us to detect anomalies, monitor observability, and take timely action. Our Zero Trust approach has also helped mitigate the risks of legacy medical devices, reducing the blast radius of potential breaches.”

In a landscape rapidly evolving due to GenAI, Providence is also prioritizing responsible innovation. The company has introduced structured learning journeys for its cyber professionals, including programs like AI 101, Cyber Launchpads, and customized learning paths.

“We’re deeply aware of GenAI’s double-edged nature. While it fuels innovation, it also brings risks like prompt injection and model poisoning. That’s why we’ve established robust guardrails, AI risk assessment frameworks, and standards to govern adoption, especially in a sensitive field like health care,” Murali said. 

India’s Cyber Talent Now Leads from the Front

Perhaps the most striking change is the elevated role of India’s cybersecurity professionals, who are now central to Providence’s frontline defense strategy. Traditionally seen as a back-office function, the India GCC today leads cybersecurity product engineering and innovation, spanning 28 service lines, 19 of which are delivered end-to-end as part of one integrated global team.

“Our cyber value journey is shaped in real-time by advanced analytics, threat intel, and clinical security innovation. This isn’t just execution, it’s ownership. We’re leading from the front,” he noted. 

Securing the Future of Health Care, Globally

As India advances its digital public infrastructure, there is a growing opportunity for GCCs to play a consultative role in public-private partnerships for cyber health defense. 

“Health care may work differently in India, but the core challenge, saving lives with technology, is universal. Our region is rich in exposure to global benchmarks. There’s immense scope to partner with government bodies and industry groups to influence cyber policy and best practices,” Murali said. 

At the intersection of innovation, resilience, and care, India GCCs are redefining what it means to be a global capability center, that is, securing the healthcare future.

This story has been updated, at the company’s request, to adjust phrasing about cybersecurity.