India will continue to collaborate with global stakeholders to counter terrorist funding and prevent the misuse of information and communication technologies by terrorists and criminals, National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval stated on Wednesday during the ‘XII International Meeting of High Ranking Officials Responsible for Security Matters’ in St Petersburg, Russia.
During his intervention at the plenary session on ‘Ensuring Information Security in the Polycentric World,’ Doval emphasized India’s commitment to using digital technology for inclusive economic development. He outlined that India will persist in cooperating to counter the misuse of information and communication technologies by terrorists and criminals, as well as combatting terror funding. This ongoing cooperation aligns with the proposed United Nations (UN) convention on cybercrime, a critical global initiative .
The proposed UN convention on cybercrime has been under negotiation since May 2021, with UN member states aiming to develop the first binding UN instrument on a cyber issue. However, there have been challenges in reaching a consensus on whether the convention should focus solely on cybercrime or encompass a broader range of crimes involving information and communication technologies.
Doval advocated for international cooperation to create an open, stable, secure, reliable, and inclusive framework to ensure information security. He proposed a roadmap for such cooperation that would engage stakeholders from government, private sector, academia, technical communities, and civil society, and would involve regular institutional dialogues to establish common understanding on critical issues.
The roadmap, according to Doval, should include capacity building for like-minded nations through training, education, and awareness programs, as well as the development of security standards for emerging technologies. Mechanisms for cooperation at the domestic and international levels are also crucial components of this roadmap.
On the sidelines of the international meeting, Doval held bilateral meetings with other officials to discuss various issues of mutual interest. In a meeting with Myanmar’s Admiral Moe Aung, he discussed the current situation in Myanmar and the status of India-funded infrastructure projects. They also reviewed recent developments along the India-Myanmar border, including security, refugees, and development projects.
In another meeting with Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, Doval discussed progress in bilateral cooperation and explored further areas of mutual interest.
Additionally, Doval participated in a luncheon meeting with National Security Advisers of the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) grouping, where he called for closer cooperation in combating terrorism and urged concrete actions to prevent cross-border planning, funding, and execution of terrorist activities. These bilateral meetings underscore India’s focus on international cooperation to address global security challenges and strengthen its ties with strategic partners.
