MELBOURNE: 1st Meeting of the India – Australia Joint Working Group on Cyber Security Cooperation

MELBOURNE: The first meeting of Joint Working Group (JWG)
on Cyber Security Cooperation between India and Australia was held virtually on
10 June 2021.

Ms. Paulomi Tripathi, Director (Oceania), Ministry of External Affairs of India
and Ms. Rachel James, Special Advisor, Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology at
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia led the respective
delegations of experts to discuss the cyber security cooperation between the
two countries.

The Joint Working Group on Cyber Security Cooperation is a mechanism
established under the Framework Arrangement on the Cyber and Cyber-enabled
Critical Technology Cooperation between Republic of India and Government of
Australia to implement the 2020-25 Plan of Action under the Framework. It
brings together policy makers and working level experts in the area to
strengthen bilateral cooperation.

During this first meeting of the JWG, both sides noted the steady progress made
in bilateral relations after the elevation of the relationship to Comprehensive
Strategic Partnership (CSP) during the Leaders’ Virtual Summit between the two
Prime Ministers on 4 June 2020 and reaffirmed their commitment to work together
in the areas of digital economy, cyber security and critical and emerging
technologies as identified by the Framework Arrangement on Cyber and
Cyber-Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation.

India and Australia shared cyber security threat assessments as well as
information on legislation and national cyber strategies. Noting the need to
strengthen security of critical information infrastructure as well as 5G
technology and IoT devices, India and Australia agreed to enhance cooperation
with private sector and academia and to work together in skill and knowledge
development. Both sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the
multilateral fora.

Both sides look forward to the next bilateral Cyber Policy Dialogue and an
early convening of the inaugural JWG meeting on Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT).