Kapil Sibal seeks global cooperation for cyber-security

India has stressed upon the need for greater cooperation and exchange of information among nations to enhance cyber-security and to address issues related to the management of the Internet.

"No nation can fight cyber-crime or secure its cyber-space in isolation. Increased and focused cooperation among key players, governments, industry and international bodies, is essential to create a secure cyber-space," said an official statement quoting Communications and IT Minister Kapil Sibal's speech at global event on Internet.

Sibal is in Baku, Ajerbaijan for a High Level Ministerial Meeting at the Internet Governance Forum.

He said cyber-security is a critical challenge being faced by stakeholders while exploiting the potential of the Internet is cyber-security.

Sibal proposed measures which included agreements on international technological standards and exchange of security related information across nations in order to achieve interoperability between Information and Communication Technology platforms.

"In the absence of global interoperability, critical data and information will not be available to all nations, when they require it most. Secondly, devising standardised and coordinated response strategies, in areas of cyber intelligence, generating alerts and execution of coordinated response in the event of cyber-attacks," he said.

Sibal said that an informed response to a cyber-attack is highly critical in case of crucial services infrastructure such as telecom, energy, finance, power and e-Government.

"Thirdly, devising a comprehensive Cyber Security Strategy, which harmonises national criminal laws, ensures cyber justice to users and providers of cyber services, and enables cyber courts with international jurisdictions and to provide cyber justice in near real-time," he said.

The Minister said that Internet provides a platform to empower human beings as never before in the history of mankind as it provides opportunities to the voiceless to be heard, communicate to the government and voiceless to connect among them.

"We are now on cusp of a new social contract which embraces all human beings. As a tool it enables empowerment of people. We will fall short of the optimum if this potential is not utilised," Sibal said.

The meeting was attended by global leaders including UNDESA's Under Secretary General, Wu Hongbo, ITU Secretary- General Hamadoun Toure, UNESCO Assistant Director-General Janis Karklins, ICANN Chief Executive Officer Fadi Chehadé, as well as Ministers from Ajerbaijan UK, Japan, Tunisia, Egypt, Lithuania, Afghanistan, Albania, Slovenia among others.