An Analysis Of Cyber Diplomacy – The Indian Perspective & Initiatives

Author: LawSphereX

Category: Technology, Cyber & Privacy

Published: 2026-08-23T17:49:10.868137+00:00

Updated: 2026-08-26T17:12:18.679+00:00

AN ANALYSIS OF CYBER DIPLOMACY – THE INDIAN

PERSPECTIVE & INITIATIVES

Elamathy S, LL.M., School of Excellence in Law, The Tamilnadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Chennai. Sathiyanathan S, LL.M., Symbiosis Law School, Noida, Affiliated with Symbiosis International (Deemed) University, Pune. Mr. Muthu, Guest Faculty, School of Excellence in Law, The Tamilnadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Chennai.

INTRODUCTION

In an increasingly interconnected world, cyberspace has emerged as a pivotal arena for international relations, governance, and conflict resolution. Cyber diplomacy, the use of diplomatic strategies to address issues arising from the digital realm, is central to ensuring a secure, open, and inclusive cyberspace. With the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital technologies now shape every aspect of human activity, from communication and commerce to governance and defense. As cyber threats such as hacking, misinformation campaigns, ransomware attacks, and data breaches grow in frequency and sophistication, nations are compelled to cooperate and negotiate to establish norms, mitigate risks, and protect sovereignty in the cyber domain. With its rapid digital transition and geopolitics' centre-stage, cyber diplomacy is a strategic imperative for India.

A booming digital economy and growing clout in information technology make it a viable stakeholder in global cyberspace governance narratives. India has pressed its claim to multilateralism in cyber policy making by participating actively in various forums, such as the UNGGE and OEWG. Another indication of India's intention to promote an all-inclusive approach in matters of cyber governance pertaining to national security, economic growth, and human rights is the 2017 initiative like the Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS). Cyber diplomacy is increasingly viewed globally as a possible path to rebutting the challenges posed by a borderless cyberspace.

Discussions about cyber norms have arisen amongst nations, whereby such norms are to be considered as disciplinary mechanisms that deal with behavior in cyberspace regarding the non-proliferation of offensive cyber capabilities, protection of critical infrastructures, and prevention of cybercrimes. The Tallinn Manual on the International Law Applicable to Cyber

Warfare and the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime are notable frameworks that try to demarcate cyberspace from the principle of law. However, this, to a great extent, has been geopolitics and also tries to deal with the fractures through the viewpoint of the Global South, including India, that seeks more and equitable rule-making processes. A complex cyber threat landscape for India exists, with state-sponsored attacks, transnational cybercrime operations, and critical infrastructure vulnerabilities. The first National Cyber Security Policy (NCSP), launched in 2013, recognizes the significance of international cooperation in addressing cyber threats. In addition, such agreements with countries like the US, Russia, and Japan on cybersecurity cooperation showcase India's proactive engagement in leveraging cyber diplomacy for national and global security.

cyber diplomacy is among the instruments for addressing the multifaceted challenges and opportunities that characterize the digital age. For India, that means a channel to augment its global footprint, secure its national interests, and assist in the realization of a secure, stable, and inclusive cyberspace. Diplomacy will gain more significance as cyberspace identity develops as an important domain of strategy. The present paper is an effort in regard to the analysis of India's cyber diplomacy strategy, how that strategy marries with international trends, and its prospects to move towards international cooperation in tackling cyber threats and enhancing digital innovation.

THE DEMAND OF CYBER DIPLOMACY – A LONG BACK FOOTPRINT

Diplomatic action in international relations is a global security priority in the interconnected world. The birth of cyber diplomacy occurred in the year 2007, which will always be remembered due to a wide-ranging cyber-attack on Estonia. Indeed, Estonia is known for being one of the most wired countries in Europe. Today’s world competition and focus is sanctioned by economic market. The mechanisms of warfare have also changed. The warfare of the new third world is happening as bio – warfare, nuclear – warfare, digital – warfare or in the form of cyber attack. The attack consisted of crippled computer networks because of hackers who paralyzed numerous amounts of government and corporate sites. The escalation in these kinds of attacks highlighted the need for governments to formulate national cyber strategies1.

This sprang from the realization that cyberspace, like the physical world, also has 1 Cyber Diplomacy: A Systematic Literature Review ∗ Amel Attatfaa, Karen Renauda, Stefano De Paolib aSchool of Design and Informatics, bSchool of Business, Law and Social Sciences Abertay University, Bell Street, DD1 1HG, Scotland,1877-0509 © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B. V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4. 0) Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the KES International. 10. 1016/j. procs. 2020. 08. 007.

military and strategic dimensions and requires countries to work together to defeat cyber opponents. However, cyber diplomacy is not confined to security alone. It also encompasses economic and developmental dimensions. Marketing with a focus on digital trade agreements and cross-border data flows, such topics have recently been agitated in discussions at the global level. The new Data Protection Bill is synonymous with India's stand on data sovereignty that accords itself within the larger ambit of attaining digital self-reliance through partnerships with nations around the world. Cyber diplomacy is also a facilitator of the entire technological collaboration and innovation across the main emerging areas like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and quantum computing. In the global arena, cyber diplomacy has developed into a space of strategic competition and cooperation.

The major powers like the United States, China, and the European Union are emerging with competing visions of cyber governance, which often reflect their different values and priorities. The United States talks about free and open Internet; in contrast, China talks about "cyber sovereignty," meaning China wishes to control as much as possible the cyberspace inside its borders. Thus, achieving global consensus on cyber norms becomes a complicated task. Nonetheless, initiatives like the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace demonstrate collective effort at multistakeholder collaboration and awarenessbuilding within and across nations, businesses, and civil society actors.

CYBER DIPLOMACY

Cyber diplomacy is the art, the science, and how nations, groups, or individuals conduct their affairs in cyberspace in ways that safeguard their interests and promote their political, economic, cultural, or scientific relations while maintaining peaceful relationships2. Digital diplomacy, which is defined as "the use of social networking sites to foster dialogue with online publics3”. According to the national policy for cyberspace, cyber diplomacy is the use of diplomatic instruments and efforts to accomplish goals in cyberspace's intricate and constantly changing unexplored realm. States enhance interactions between global public and private sector entities using common and agreed norms, protocols, and behaviors.

Cyber diplomacy must reduce the effects of offensive cyber operations by state or non-state actors, cyber aggression, cyberattacks on key infrastructure, data breaches, cybercrime, cyber espionage,

2 https://www.cyber-diplomacy-toolbox.com/Cyber_Diplomacy.html

3 Kampf, R., Manor, I., Segev, E., 2015. Digital diplomacy 2.0? A cross-national comparison of public engagement in Facebook and Twitter. The Hague Journal of Diplomacy 10, 331–362.

and online theft. Given the nature of cyberspace, it is crucial to practice cyber diplomacy instead of depending just on cyber Défense. Riordan clarifies the distinction between cyber and digital diplomacy, explaining that digital diplomacy refers to the use of digital tools and techniques to do diplomacy. In contrast, cyber diplomacy refers to the use of diplomatic tools and the diplomatic mindset to resolve issue arising from cyberspace4.

IMPLEMENTATION

OF

CYBER

DIPLOMACY

VIA

CYBER

SECURITY

STRATEGIC GOVERNANCE

CYBER ADVERTANCE

India's online and digital presence has grown significantly in the past two decades. The online population has increased from 0. 5 percent of the population in 2000 to the world's second largest after China with an estimated 34. 8 percent - or 462. 1 million users - in 20165. Driven by a stark downward trend of costs in Internet access and mobile devices, India's online population grew by 30. 5 percent in 2016, by far the highest growth rate of any country that year. The online population is expected to reach over 915 million by 20266. In July 2015, the Indian government initiated a federal programme entitled Digital India to construct and update Internet networks in previously underserved rural areas. By 2018, India had 150 million social media users, 1 billion mobile connections, and 400 million smartphone users7.

In addition, India's IT sector has grown significantly in the past two decades, from 1. 2 percent of GDP in 1998 to 7. 7 percent in 20178. India emerged as the world's largest outsourcing destination, accounting for an estimated 55 percent of the market in 2017-18, as 4 Riordan, S. , 2016. Cyber diplomacy vs. digital diplomacy: a terminological distinction. USC CPD Blog (May 12). http://uscpublicdiplomacy. org/blog/cyber-diplomacy-vs-digital-diplomacy-terminological-distinction Accessed in November 2019. 5 Internet Users by Country (2016), Internet Live Stats (2020), http://www. internetlivestats. com/internet-usersby-country/ ; The Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicators, July–September 2019, Telecom Regulatory Auth. of India (Jan. 8, 2020), https://trai. gov. in/sites/default/files/PIR_08012020_0. pdf. 6 See Morgan Stanley, 2017. India’s Digital Future. https://www.

morganstanley. com/ideas/digital-india. 7 “Cyber security, data privacy critical for growth of Digital India“, Business Standard, June 23, 2018. https://www. businessstandard. com/article/news-ani/cyber-security-data-privacy-critical-for-growth-of-digitalindia-118062300464_1. html 8 4 IBEF, 2019. Indian IT, ITes & BPM Industry Analysis. https://www. ibef. org/industry/indian-iT-and-iTeSindustry-analysis-presentation Office of Science and Technology Policy (2016) Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development Strategic Plan, National Science and Technology Council, February 2016.

leading US and European technology companies have traditionally outsourced to India9. However, in parallel to the sectoral growth and rapid proliferation of access, the Indian state's efforts to build a secure cyber ecosystem have faced multiple challenges. Although India's economy accounted for an estimated 15 percent of global growth in 2018-19, India still had the world's largest population of individuals without Internet access and a low Internet penetration rate compared to its peers in 201610. Moreover, the rapid growth of Indian information and communications technology (ICT) networks has largely been dependent on inexpensive and insecure hard- and software. As a result, India has become one of the world's most targeted states by state and non-state actors' cyberattacks.

India's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) noted that reported cybersecurity incidents increased from only 23 in 2004 to 208,456 in 201811. The main piece of legislation encompassing technology and cybersecurity in India is the Information Technology Act, 2000. At the time, India was the 12th state in the world to pass a cyber law. The Act was based on the United Nations' Model Law on Electronic Commerce, 1996 and is still the primary law for dealing with cybercrime and digital commerce in the country. It did not yet incorporate regulation on broader cybersecurity concerns. The Act was revised in 2008 (Information Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2008).

The amendment, which was passed by the Indian parliament in December 2008 and whose provisions came into force in October 2009, mentioned cybersecurity for the first time, acknowledged the significant increase in cyberattacks, and established measures to augment cyber law enforcement (such as obliging Internet providers to retain data) and counter cyber terrorism. It also designated CERT- In as the "national nodal agency" for the protection of critical information infrastructure. The amendment constituted the most tangible shift from a focus on commerce to one on security in India's cyber policy. However, the amendment was criticised on several grounds, including the alleged violation of civil liberties. For example, section 66A penalised sending "offensive messages", which allegedly constituted a restriction on the freedom of speech protected by the

9 Ibid.

10 International Monetary Fund, 2018. India’s Strong Economy Continues to Lead Global Growth.

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2018/08/07/NA080818-India-Strong-Economy-Continues-to-Lead- Global-Growth;

UNDP,

2019. Human Development Indicators. India. http://hdr.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/IND; Internet Live Stats, 2019 11 For a detailed analysis of cyber threats to India’s national security, including cyber conflict, terrorism and crime, see Ebert, Hannes, 2018. “Building Resilience: India’s Cyber Security, 2000-16”, in Ganguly, Sumit, Nicolas Blarel and Manjeet Pardesi (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of India’s National Security, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 341-368.

Indian Constitution12. In March 2015, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that this section was unconstitutional. Moreover, section 69 of the Bill gave authorities power of "interception or monitoring or decryption of any information through any computer resource13". This clause has been contested by non-governmental stakeholders and has also been a point of contention for India's partnership with the EU, which has criticised the lack of protection of civil liberties14. In April 2011, the Indian government notified the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011. The Rules required firms to obtain written permission from customers before collecting and using their personal data. This has affected a number of international firms that outsource to Indian companies.

Finally, in June 2013, the MeitY promulgated India's National Cybersecurity Policy (NCSP), the first official national policy framework specifically addressing threats to cybersecurity. The framework aims to protect information infrastructure in cyberspace, build capabilities to prevent and respond to cyber threats, reduce vulnerabilities, and minimise damage from cyber incidents through a combination of institutional structures, people, processes, technology, and cooperation.

The strategy aims to reach these goals by: (a) creating a national and sectorial mechanism to deal with cyber threats through the National Critical Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIPC); (b) mandating CERT-In to act as a nodal agency for co-ordination of crisis management efforts; (c) increasing partnerships between the public and private sectors; (d) promoting cybersecurity research and development; (e) developing human resources through education and training programmes. Eventually Cyber Diplomacy and Resilience in India for helping the private sector to produce 500,000 trained cybersecurity professionals in the next five years15. While various factors have impeded the swift implementation of the NCSP since 2013, the document laid the ground for substantive institutional developments which will be outlined below.

In 2019, the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) mandated a taskforce to revise the 2013 NCSP. The taskforce invited input from stakeholders across sectors by January 2020. The new National Cybersecurity Strategy 2020 will outline policy priorities between 2020 and 2025. 12 Cyber Resilience and Diplomacy in India, Hannes Ebert, GMF, Kate Saslow and Thorsten Wetzling, SNV July 2020. EU Cyber Direct.

13 Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs, 2008. The Information Technology Act, 2008.

nagapol.gov.in/PDF/IT percent20Act percent20(Amendments)2008.pdf 14 See, e.g., Patil, Sameer et al., 2016. India-EU cooperation on cyber security and data protection. Instituto Affari Internazionali and Gateway House, pp. 21-22; Prakash, Pranesh, 2009. “Short note on IT Amendment Act, 2008”, The Centre for Internet and Society, https://cis-india.org/Internet-governance/publications/it-act/short-note-onamendment-act-2008

15 Unpublished notes from the EU-India Cyber Dialogue on May 21, 2015, Brussels.

Publication was planned for the first quarter of 2020, though it was delayed by the need to address the COVID-19 pandemic16.

UNODC

The United Nations Organization, established by the UN Charter in 1945, is an International peace maintaining organization that coordinates common principles and regulates the member nations on international forums and standards. United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs has initiated a training program on cyber diplomacy based on the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts Report of 2015. It started this assessment in 2004 on how to deal with the threats posed by using ICTs in the context of international security. The major pillars of the training program shall include (A) International law, (B) Norms, rules and principles, (C) Existing and emerging threats, (D) Confidence building mechanisms and (E) International cooperation and assistance in capacity building.

Importantly, in 2015, the General Assembly unanimously adopted resolution 70/237, which calls upon Member States to be guided in their use of ICTs by the 2015 GGE report17.

CYBER DIPLOMACY DIMENSIONS

The various dimensions of cyber diplomacy that are included within the realm of the United Nations GGE training program are a) Soft Power b) Hard Power c) Public led d) State led e) Inter – country ties f) Coercive powers

16 National Informatics Centre, 2019. National Cyber Security Strategy 2020 (NCSS 2020),

https://ncss2020.nic.in/.

17 https://cyberdiplomacy.disarmamenteducation.org/home

g) Military powers h) Observations i) Intelligence gathering j) Non – governmental

CYBER DIPLOMACY INITIATIVES

It is known that the Paris Call was created in 2018 by France under the aegis of the President of France, Mr. Macron. The Call had its launching at the Internet of Trust, held in UNESCO Paris on 12 November 2018, in the presence of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. This were preceded by the attempt of the GGE in 2017, which failed for lack of agreement and consensus. This key cyber diplomacy initiative forms the foundation of The Paris Call-a French diplomatic initiative that vocally projects France's soft power (soft power or co-optation power, a notion propounded by Joseph Nye). Cybersecurity is a key issue in diplomatic relations, as identified by the French White Paper on Defence and National Security as a national priority18. The Paris Call is characterized by the following:

1. The involvement of a gathering of a multitude of actors, both private and public.

2. The highlighting of the need for international law to apply automatically in cyberspace.

3. The positioning of France as a leader in cyber issues on the international front, as

compared with other cyber powers leaders (e.g. United States, France, Israel, China, Russia, United Kingdom).

9 TRUST AND SECURITY PRINCIPLES IN CYBERSPACE ARE DEFINED BY THE

PARIS CALL:

1. Protect individuals and infrastructure

18 Cyber Resilience and Diplomacy in India, Hannes Ebert, GMF, Kate Saslow and Thorsten Wetzling, SNV July 2020. EU Cyber Direct.

Prevent and recover malicious cyber activities that threaten or have caused significant, indiscriminate or systemic harm to individuals or critical infrastructure.

2. Protect the Internet

Prevent activity that deliberately and significantly impairs the general availability or integrity of the public core of the Internet.

3. Defend electoral processes

Strengthen capacity to repel malign interference by foreign actors in electoral processes through malicious cyber activities.

4. Defend intellectual property

Prevent ICT-enabled theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets or other confidential business information, to offer companies or the commercial sector a competitive advantage. Protecting software distributed under open source licenses: the Linux Foundation supports communities that share their knowledge.

5. No Proliferation

Develop ways to prevent the proliferation of malicious software and practices intended to cause harm. Fighting malware at the roots: YesWeHack organises Bug Bounty programmes to disclose and correct vulnerabilities before the malicious tools get in.

6. Lifecycle security

Assure the security of digital processes, products, and services for their entire life cycle and supply chain. ICT/OT supply chain integrity: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace presents recommendations to the government and corporations.

7. Cyber hygiene

Support all actors in advancing an evolved cyber hygiene.

8. No private hack back

Take measures to prohibit non-State actors, including the private sector, from hackback for their own purposes or those of other non-State actors. Hack-back, active defense, and countermeasures: the Cybersecurity Tech Accord starts a conversation on definitions and best practices.

9. International norms

Encourage and promote the widespread acceptance and implementation of international norms of responsible behavior as well as confidence-building measures in cyberspace. Selecting a contact point (POC) in each State to exchange information on ICT-related incidents: together with the other countries, France operationalizes confidence building measures at the OSCE.

CYBER DIPLOMACY INITIATIVES OF INDIA

In debates on global Internet governance, India has been widely perceived as a "swing state"19. The Indian government, however, portrayed its posture as that of a bridge builder between the polarised camps in multilateral negotiations on global Internet governance structures and norms, eager to promote a "middle way" or "third path"20. India's claims for an enhanced role of intergovernmental institutions, such as the ITU, in global Internet governance and its vacillating positions in the debates reflect its longstanding emphasis of state sovereignty and non-interference in international affairs and the concomitant conviction that security is the exclusive responsibility of the state.

Indian governments have traditionally emphasised domestic and Westphalian sovereignty and strategic autonomy as guiding principles of Indian foreign policy, which best guarantee national and international security. This foreign policy orientation has also been translated into India's cyber diplomacy and a reflex to align with sovereignty-oriented states like China and Russia in negotiations at the UN. India shares with China and Russia, who on multiple occasions promoted the concept of 'cyber sovereignty', a preference for centralised, 19 Maurer, Tim and Robert Morgus, Visualizing Swing States in the Global Internet Governance Debate, Internet Governance Paper No. 7, Waterloo, Ontario: CIGI, 2014 20 Kovacs, Anja, 2015. Opportunism or glasnost? India’s embrace of multistakeholderism in Internet governance. New Delhi: The Internet Democracy Project. https://Internetdemocracy.

in/2015/09/opportunism-or-glasnost/.

strong sovereignty entailing hierarchical state-society relations and limited stakeholder consultations. India has also contributed to multilateral negotiations on establishing a normative framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.21

THE INDIAN COMPUTER EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT-IN)

CERT-In was established in 2004 and is India's national coordinating body for cybersecurity responsible for coordinating the activities of the Computer Emergency Response Team. The principal duties involve risk assessment, incident handling, and provision of threat alerts as a core function. CERT-In cooperates with companies and foreign agencies to ensure threats to information technology systems are mitigated. Its role varies from conducting cybersecurity audits, conducting awareness programs, and providing advisories to enhance the cybersecurity landscape of India.

NATIONAL CYBER SECURITY POLICY (NCSP), 2013

In the year of 2013, India stepped into the big grand arena of operations against cyberspace threats as the National Cyber Security Policy came into force in India. The policy defines the various roles of different actors around securing and improving cyberspace, besides calling for the need for indigenous technologies, cyber risk assessment, and cooperation between government and private sector in ramping up the country’s cybersecurity preparedness. I think, in one-sentence summary, you can describe the above-explained passage as: This policy defines and specifies the roles of different actors toward securing and improving cyberspace22.

NATIONAL CRITICAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION

CENTER (NCIIPC)

Established in 2014, the NCIIPC focuses on cyber threats and their incidence on India's critical information infrastructure (CII). It protects systems and assets from incidents that affect national security and comprises the power grid, telecommunications, and financial systems. 21 India was reportedly excluded from the 2015 UNGGE due to its reluctance to sign the final document of the Global Multistakeholder Meeting on the Future of Internet Governance Net Mundial in Brazil in April 2014. Sukumar, Arun, 2016. „UN reconstitutes its top cyber body, this time with India at the high table“, The Wire, June 22, 2016. 22 Cyber Resilience and Diplomacy in India, Hannes Ebert, GMF, Kate Saslow and Thorsten Wetzling, SNV July 2020. EU Cyber Direct.

The NCIIPC interacts with CERT-In and many other stakeholders for the resilience of CII against emerging threats at the national level.

APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICERS

To further strengthen cybersecurity in government organizations, the Indian government mandated the appointment of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) across key sectors. They are trusted with overseeing the execution of cyber security policies, measurement and risks, disclosure, and legal compliance with data protection laws. Governments and organizations of critical infrastructures rely on them to support their cybersecurity operations23.

DIGITAL PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION ACT, 2023

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 was tabled in Parliament in 2019 and aims at safeguarding the personal data of Indian citizens as well as ensuring that organizations act responsibly while dealing with data. The bill provides a legal framework for how personal data can be collected, stored, and even shared because of several factors that have resulted in a lack of transparency. When passed, the bill will make data more portable and set up higher standards of accountability for data misuse.

CYBER CRIME PREVENTION FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN (CCPWC)

The Cyber Crime Prevention for Women and Children (CCPWC) initiative seeks to fight cyber crimes against some vulnerable segments of society, namely women and children. It was launched by the Home Ministry to enable victims of cyber crimes such as trolling, cyberbullying, and child sexual abuse submit complaints as well as equip law enforcement agencies with the knowledge and tools required for investigation and prosecution of cybercriminals.

CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Cyber security in India has got the government great potential, trying to ensure skills in this field as well as awareness at population and national levels. Programs like the 23 Cyber Resilience and Diplomacy in India, Hannes Ebert, GMF, Kate Saslow and Thorsten Wetzling, SNV July 2020. EU Cyber Direct.

Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) project are meant for training professionals and students in the different branches of security. These benefit developmental and skill gaps on the job market as well as spur grassroots-level cybersecurity education. Thus, there is the involvement of different academic institutions in collaboration with the private sector to create a generation of cyber security professionals in India.

CYBER SURAKSHIT BHARAT

Cyber Surakshit Bharat was launched officially by the Prime Minister in 2018 to ensure safety and security by awareness of cybersecurity with government officials and organizations. This is highly dependent on the cyber space and enables officials in different governments to protect their valuable properties. The initiative under the banner of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) provides training to conduct workshops and seminars for the development of a safe ecosystem for different sectors of the government24.

CYBER SWACHHTA KENDRA

The Cyber Swachhta Kendra, or the Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre, was launched in 2017 by MeitY. This is an initiative to offer a secure cyberspace by diagnosing and preventing devices from experiencing a malware attack. In providing individuals and organizations with free tools and services the initiative assists in protecting their devices from botnet attacks, ransomware, and other threats. The users are therefore encouraged to download and use these tools to safeguard their identity online25.

CYBER JAGRUKTA DIVAS

The Cyber Jagrukta Divas (Cyber Awareness Day) is an initiative by the Indian government to raise cybersecurity awareness monthly. Held on the first Wednesday of every month, this initiative focuses on educating the public and organizations about the importance of cybersecurity. It provides guidelines and best practices on topics like data privacy, securing online transactions, and protecting personal information from cyber threats.26 24 "Cyber Surakshit Bharat" Initiative to Promote Cyber Hygiene and Awareness, Press Info. Bureau, Ministry of Electronics & Info. Tech. (Feb. 21, 2024), https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2026295

25 https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/38468/First+IndiaItaly+Bilateral+Cyber+Dialogue

26 Cyber Jaagrookta [Awareness], Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Ministry of Home Affs.,

https://i4c.mha.gov.in/cyber-jagrookta.aspx (last visited Apr. 5, 2025).

VARIOUS INTERNATIONAL CYBER DIALOGUE (INDIA – EU)

FIRST INDIA-ITALY BILATERAL CYBER DIALOGUE

The inaugural India-Italy Cyber Dialogue took place in New Delhi. It was jointly chaired by Mr. Amit A. Shukla, Joint Secretary overseeing Cyber Diplomacy at the Ministry of External Affairs of India, and Minister Plenipotentiary Michele Giacomelli, Head of the Unit for Technological Innovation and Cybersecurity, at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Indian affiliation included Department of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)--from Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre and Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). Italian representation included officials from the Italian National Cybersecurity Agency, the Postal Police and Cyber Security Service, and the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi.

This dialogue was part of the follow-through of the significant agreement that was realized during the State Visit of the Italian Prime Minister to India on 2-3 March 2023, when both Heads of State agreed to increase bilateral cooperation in cyberspace. Under this dialogue, both sides discussed in detail the emerging cyber threat landscape, shared national cyber strategies and policies, outlined arrangements concerning the protection of critical information infrastructure, and launched the development of capacity-building initiatives. Furthermore, the two representatives discussed the exploration of possibilities for collaboration at multilateral forums in response to emerging realities concerning the cyber domain at the United Nations.

Both sides welcomed constructive engagement with and between their agencies on cybersecurity issues, as they reaffirmed their shared commitment to fostering secure and resilient cyberspace27.

INDIA-EU CYBER DIALOGUE

The India-EU Cyber Dialogue was hosted in a virtual format by India on 14th December 2020. Both sides discussed various areas of cooperation in cyberspace, including topical issues, multilateral, and regional cooperation on stability in cyberspace at various UN platforms, cooperation on Cybercrime, and capacity building.

27 https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/38468/First+IndiaItaly+Bilateral+Cyber+Dialogue

INDIA-FRANCE BILATERAL CYBER DIALOGUE

The India-Italy Bilateral Cyber Dialogue took place on 13th October 2021. The Cyber Dialogue explored several aspects of existing bilateral cooperation on cyber issues, exchanged views on recent developments in this domain of bilateral, regional, and multilateral relevance, and explored initiatives for enhancing cyber cooperation.

SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANISATION (SCO)

The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), Government of India, organized a Practical Seminar in December on the theme "Securing Cyberspace in the Contemporary Threat Environment" in respect of the participants from Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Member States.

SESSIONS OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE (AHC)

Ad Hoc Committee to elaborate a comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) for criminal purposes, established by the UN General Assembly in its resolution 74/247, held its second session in Vienna, 30 May to 10 June 2022.

BRICS WORKING GROUP ON ICT

The BRICS Working Group was held on 24th May 2022 regarding Security in the use of Information and communication Technology (ICT) in virtual mode.

BILATERAL CYBER DIALOGUE BETWEEN INDIA AND GERMANY

The 6th India-Germany Bilateral Cyber Dialogue was organized in Bonn and Berlin, Germany, during April 2022. There would be exchanges on new developments in the areas of the national cyber policy and strategy along with that of cybersecurity.

INDIA - UK BILATERAL CYBER DIALOGUE

The Annual Cyber Dialogue between India and the UK was held in London on the 12th of April, 2022. Both sides acknowledged the extensive bilateral engagement encompassing cyber governance, deterrence, and mutual resilience. They also reiterated their commitment

towards a joint programme of action and next steps under the Enhanced Cyber Security Partnership. INDIA-JAPAN Cyber Dialogue The Fourth India-Japan Cyber Dialogue was organized virtually by India on 30 June

2022. Both were beneficial for deliberation on important areas of bilateral cyber cooperation

and the progress achieved during the years in areas like cybersecurity and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), including 5G Technology. India-EU Cyber Dialogue India emphasized that confidence building measures would be critical to building trust in cyberspace and should be developed based on proposals from UNGGE on the exchange of points of contact and strategies, policies on the basis of submitting measures, as well as CERTto-CERT cooperation28.

COUNTER RANSOMWARE INITIATIVE

A Counter Ransomware Initiative meet was held in May 2022 to discuss methodologies

to counter ransomware, important ransomware incidents in the past and experiences for predictive analysis, governments involvement and role in managing ransomware incident response, and how to incentivize reporting of ransomware incidents among other related issues. India participated as a lead in a Resilience working group in the meet29.

CYBER DOCTRINE INITIATIVE

The Indian Navy’s Maritime Security Strategy recognizes the critical importance of cyberspace and cybertechnologies in India’s security architecture. The bibliography in this publication includes a 2013 document titled Cyber Doctrine: Flag Officer Doctrines and Concepts. While this document is not in the public domain, its existence coupled with its

28 Unpublished notes from the EU-India Cyber Dialogue on May 21, 2015, Brussels.

29 https://i4c.mha.gov.in/international-cooperation.aspx

inclusion in a report published by the Indian Navy indicates some thinking on a cyber doctrine among the naval establishment30. 30 International cyber operations research paper series, tracing national doctrine and capabilities, Arindrajit Basu, united nations institute for disarmament research.

Source: Gateway House 2016, p. 16; Elkmokadem, Leilah, 2017. Mapping of India's Cybersecurity Related Bilateral Agreements. Bangalore: The Centre for Internet and Society; CBI, 2019. MLATs, http://www.cbi.gov.in/interpol/mlats.php. Cyber Resilience and Diplomacy in India, Hannes Ebert, GMF, Kate Saslow and Thorsten Wetzling, SNV July 2020. EU Cyber Direct.

CONCLUSION

In an era where cyberspace has become the backbone of global communication, commerce, and governance, cyber diplomacy emerges as a critical tool for navigating the complexities of a digitized world. Cyberspace's ability to connect nations offers previously unheard-of chances for cooperation and economic expansion, but it also reveals weaknesses that might undermine global security and confidence. Misinformation campaigns, data breaches, and cyberattacks endanger not just individual countries but also the foundation of international collaboration. These difficulties highlight how urgently cyber diplomacy—a framework for resolving cross-border digital concerns by communication, cooperation, and understanding—is needed. Cyber diplomacy is becoming a key component of contemporary international relations rather than a side issue.

It include promoting ethical technology usage, strengthening resilience against cyberthreats, and cultivating consensus on cybersecurity standards. Multilateral initiatives, such as the UN Group of Governmental Experts on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications, highlight the global recognition of cyberspace as a shared domain requiring collective governance. However, these efforts must be strengthened to bridge the gaps in trust, technology, and capacity among nations. The rising needs for cyber diplomacy also stem from the rapid evolution of technologies like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and 5G, which present both opportunities and risks. Ensuring equitable access, safeguarding privacy, and preventing the misuse of these advancements require proactive, cooperative, and inclusive diplomatic efforts.

In conclusion, cyber diplomacy is an indispensable mechanism to ensure that cyberspace remains a domain of innovation, stability, and equitable progress. By prioritizing trust-building measures, fostering international cooperation, and addressing emerging threats, nations can collectively create a robust and secure digital ecosystem. As cyberspace continues to evolve, so too must the diplomatic frameworks that govern it, ensuring that global peace and security are upheld in the digital age.

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