To ensure mutual security and prosperity through national resilience, India and UK have reaffirmed their commitment to Cyber Security Partnership.
Prime Minister Modi and UK counterpart PM Boris Jhonson reiterated a shared commitment to a partnership for vision 2030 for open, accessible and peaceful cyberspace that will bring a more secure Indo-Pacific on 22 April 2022.
Last year in May, both the leaders had agreed to an Enhanced Cyber Security Partnership with a focus on cyber governance, deterrence, resilience and capacity building.
Mitigation strategies against Advanced Persistent Threats
“The rules-based international order must be upheld online, just as it is offline,” the Joint Statement by both countries reads. India and the UK have expressed concern about the increasing willingness of states and their proxies to undertake malicious cyber activities as should be contrary to identified norms of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.
Keeping this in consideration, both nations have committed to deepen coordination on mitigation strategies against Advanced Persistent Threats as well as cooperation on tackling cybercrime.
Voluntary and non-binding norms of responsible state behaviour
As per the 2021 reports of the UN Sixth Group of Governmental Experts on Advancing Responsible State Behaviour in Cyberspace, India and the UK reaffirmed the vital role of voluntary and non-binding norms of responsible state behaviour in reducing risks to international peace, security and stability.
“We draw attention to the norms prohibiting the use of cyber tools to intentionally damage or impair critical infrastructure and the obligation of states to respond to appropriate requests to mitigate malicious ICT activity aimed at the critical infrastructure of another state emanating from their territory,” the Joint Statement stressed.
Strengthening Mutual Cyber Resilience with a holistic & whole-of-society approach
A big part of cyber security includes ensuring public safeguards and increasing awareness regarding the same. Both nations in the Joint Statement reaffirmed their commitment to complete joint work that identifies shared vulnerabilities, and promote effective public-private partnerships.
“We will continue to work closely with industry and through international standards organisations to ensure the Internet of Things connectable devices are secure by design,” the Joint Statement noted. Both nations have mutually agreed to enhance awareness in the domain of cyberspace by;
– Supporting efforts that would increase the availability and diversity of cyber skills in the workforce
– Promote people-to-people and educational links
PPP to promote new technologies & Data Management
With the increasing complexities of Cyberspace, governments cannot meet the challenges of the digital age alone. Hence, it has been recognised by the state that the private sector can play an important role as developers and implementers of new technologies, and in relation to data management.
India and UK will work in collaboration with industry and multi-stakeholders to deliver shared responsibilities intended to improve online safety and protect users online.
With the onset of 5G and 6G technologies, both nations have put a special focus on ensuring the protection of user privacy and their cooperation with the relevant government entities. India and the UK will continue to collaborate with digital service providers, social media and telecommunications companies for the same, encouraging cooperation to embed safety in the services they offer.
Both nations have committed to build open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful cyberspace, which will be in the welfare of all those associated with cyber world.
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