U.S.-India Cyber Dialogue

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Oct 24, 2016

The Governments of the United States and India held the Fifth U.S.-India Cyber Dialogue in New Delhi on September 28, 2016.

The U.S.-India Cyber Dialogue reflects our nations' broad engagement and long-standing cooperation on important bilateral and global issues. The Cyber Dialogue is a forum for implementing the Framework for the India – U.S. Cyber relationship, in particular exchanging and discussing international cyber policies, comparing national cyber strategies, enhancing our efforts to combat cybercrime, and fostering capacity building and Research and Development, thus promoting cybersecurity and the digital economy.

The U.S.-India Cyber Dialogue is deepening bilateral cooperation on a wide range of cyber issues and strengthening the U.S.-India strategic partnership by exchanging information on cyber threats and issues of mutual concern, and discussing possible cooperative measures. It also promotes bilateral cooperation on law enforcement and cybercrime by creating a mechanism for cooperation, including setting up appropriate sub-groups and affirming common objectives in fighting international cyber crime. These include the application of international law to state behavior in cyberspace, the affirmation of norms of responsible state behavior, and the development of practical confidence-building measures.

This whole-of-government Cyber Dialogue, fifth in the series, was led by the U.S. National Security Council Senior Director for Cyber Policy Samir Jain and by Shri Santosh Jha, Joint Secretary for Policy Planning and Global Cyber Issues, Ministry of External Affairs. The Department of State Coordinator for Cyber Issues Christopher Painter and the National Security Council Secretariat Joint Secretary Shri Abhimanyu Ghosh co-hosted the Dialogue.The U.S. government interagency delegation included representatives from the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Commerce, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Indian government was represented by Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Home Affairs, Computer Emergency Response Team, National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre, Central Bureau of Investigation and Defense Research & Development Organization.

The two countries decided to hold the next round of the Cyber Dialogue in Washington in 2017. Cyber security is essential to the safety and economic well-being of the modern world. The U.S. will work with its partner India and other nations to achieve a safe and secure internet for all nations and peoples.