Central cabinet gives nod to Cybersecurity cooperation pact between India and Japan

The Central Cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod for signing a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in the field of cybersecurity between India and Japan.

According to a Cabinet release, the MoC will enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest, which in­clude inter-alia, capacity building in the area of cyberspace; protection of critical infrastructure; cooperation in emerging technologies; sharing information on cybersecurity threats/incidents and malicious cyber activities, as well as best prac­tices to counter them; developing joint mechanisms for practical cooperation to mitigate cyber threats to the security of Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, etc.

The two countries have committed themselves to an open, interoperable, free, fair, secure, and reli­able cyberspace environment and to promote the Internet as an engine of innova­tion, economic growth, and trade and commerce that would be consistent with their respective domestic laws and international obligations, and with their wide-ranging strategic partnership.

This comes on the same day External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held-wide-ranging talks with his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi in Tokyo, covering an entire gamut of bilateral ties including the expansion of India-Japan collaboration in third countries. In the talks held under the framework of strategic dialogue, the two foreign ministers also deliberated on long-pending reform of the United Nations and ways to deepen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

Among other objectives, the two countries through the MoC on cybersecurity will affirm cooperation in the international arena including in the UN by discussing and sharing strategies and best prac­tices to promote the integrity of the supply chain of ICT products, strengthening the security of digital infrastructure through Government-to-Government and Business-to-Business cooperation and continuing dialogue and engagement in Internet governance fora.

Cooperation in cybersecurity between New Delhi and Tokyo also draws significance since both countries have been on the receiving end of cyberattacks from hostile neighbours like China, North Korea and Pakistan. Cyberspace and cyber warfare are the two new fronts that have opened up in the last two decades where countries are trying to equip themselves with sophisticated defensive strategies.

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Bilateral, Quad engagement

After the 13th Japan-India Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, Jaishankar took to Twitter to inform that both leaders discussed the cooperation in several fields, including manufacturing, infrastructure, and health. The minister said that they explored the opportunities of further expansion of collaboration with a special focus on development and projects. They also reviewed the current global situation and developments pertaining to UN reform, he added.

On October 6, Jaishankar participated in the second India-Australia-Japan-USA Ministerial Meeting — commonly known as Quad — as the leaders followed up on their discussions on the post-COVID international order. They called for a coordinated response to the challenges including financial problems emanating from the pandemic, said the ministry of external affairs in a statement.

(PTI Photo)

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