Bangalore: Industry captains in India's tech hub Saturday said they want the Karnataka government to permit business houses to buy sophisticated weapons in light of the Mumbai terror attacks.

"We feel defenceless. Our private security guards are allowed only to use single or double barrel guns; licences for pistols and assault rifles are not given to private security agency," Infosys Technologies director T.V. Mohandas Pai said.

He was speaking ahead of a meeting of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa with industry leaders here on security issues in Bangalore and in the state.

Pai said the government should provide security, and if it could not, corporate and business houses should be allowed to purchase sophisticated equipment and weapons.

"After Mumbai's terror attack, business has been heavily affected in Bangalore. We have to assure investors that Bangalore is a safe place for investments," he said.

Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said the terrorists succeeded in causing so much damage because Mumbai was ill-equipped to deal with major terror attacks.

"Bangalore, the hub of IT and BT (biotechnology) industries and having various defence and educational establishments, is vulnerable to terror attacks. We need to pull up our socks. In such a situation, it is the duty of the state to provide maximum security to its citizens," Mazumdar-Shaw told IANS.

"We too are revamping our security measures to ensure security of our employees. But to fight with terrorists, private security guards manning our offices are not enough. The government should provide us maximum security with the help of police and army," she added.

Welcoming the industry and business leaders to the meeting, Yeddyurappa asked them to step up private security and also co-ordinate with the civil and police administration to ensure safety of their establishments and the general public.

"I welcome constructive and implementable suggestions from the industry captains so that effective could be initiated to maintain peace and normalcy. The police department will also coordinate with the managements of business houses to upgrade their internal security system," the chief minister said.

D. Muralidhar, president of Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said the government should lead in upgrading Bangalore's security systems.

"Unfortunately, the police force is ill-equipped and even our fire-fighting systems are not in place. Such kind of arrangement is the responsibility of the government although business establishments too are working hard to step up their internal security mechanism," he said.