NEW DELHI: India and the United States have agreed to ensure shared understanding of technology access policy, including dual use technologies sought to be controlled by either country, including through such mechanisms as the bilateral High Technology Cooperation Group.
It was decided during the current visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United states that the complete Framework for the U.S.-India Cyber Relationship will be signed within 60 days.
According to a government release, reiterating a commitment to promote the free flow of information, the two countries will work towards an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable cyberspace environment; and a commitment to promote the Internet as an engine for innovation, economic growth, and trade and commerce.
It was announced after a meeting between Modi and President Barrack Obama that cooperation on cyber issues is a key component of the bilateral relationship between India and the United States.
The two countries have a strategic cyber relationship that reflects their shared values, common vision, and shared principles for cyberspace. Both sides recognize the value of enhancing and further institutionalizing their broad-based cooperation on cyber issues.
The two countries intend to complete a framework that will include a commitment to promote cooperation between and among the private sector and government authorities on cybercrime and cybersecurity.
There will be recognition of the importance of bilateral and international cooperation for combating cyber threats and promoting cybersecurity, and a commitment to respect cultural and linguistic diversity, and promote international security and stability in cyberspace through a framework that recognizes the applicability of international law, in particular the UN Charter, to state conduct in cyberspace and the promotion of voluntary norms of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.
There will be a commitment to the multistakeholder model of Internet governance that is transparent and accountable to its stakeholders, including governments, civil society and the private sector, and promotes cooperation among them.
There will be recognition of the leading role for governments in cyber security matters relating to national security, of the importance of and a shared commitment to cooperate in capacity building in cyber security and cyber security research and development, and a ommitment to promote closer cooperation among law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime between the two countries.
Other subjects relate to strengthening the security and resilience of critical information infrastructure; Identifying, coordinating, sharing, and implementing cybersecurity best practices; sharing information on a real time or near real time basis, when practical and consistent with existing bilateral arrangements, about malicious cybersecurity threats, attacks and activities, and establishing appropriate mechanisms to improve such information sharing; and developing joint mechanisms for practical cooperation to mitigate cyber threats to the security of ICT infrastructure and information contained therein consistent with their respective obligations under domestic and international law.
