India, US sign pact for cyber relations

 India and the United States on Tuesday signed a framework for cyber relations on the sidelines of the second bilateral strategic and commercial dialogue in New Delhi.

The new India-US framework is aimed at stepping up bilateral cooperation in identifying, coordinating, sharing and implementing cyber security best practices. It also provides for sharing information on a real time or near real time basis about malicious cyber security threats, attacks and activities, and establishing appropriate mechanisms to improve sharing of information.

“The new framework will boost cooperation between law enforcement agencies of India and the US to combat cyber crime, including through training workshops, enhancing dialogue and processes and procedures and by instituting consultation mechanism,” said officials in New Delhi.

The framework is intended to step up cooperation between Computer Emergency Response Team of US and its counterpart in India, CERT-IN.

It is also aimed at improving the capacity of law enforcement agencies through joint training programmes, including equipping them to draft appropriate requests for electronic evidence in accordance with the respective laws and regulations of India and the US, added the officials.

“It is heartening to note that we have been able to conclude a framework for the India-US cyber relationship, the first of its kind both for India and the US, with any other country,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in her opening remarks at the strategic and commercial dialogue. Sushma and Minister of State Nirmala Sitharaman joined US Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker to lead the respective delegations in the strategic and commercial dialogue.