India and Japan have finalized an ambitious cybersecurity agreement to boost cooperation on 5G technology and critical information infrastructure, and the two countries pledged on Wednesday to work towards a free and open Indo-Pacific with diversified supply chains.
The readings issued by India and Japan after a meeting between Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Tokyo did not mention China, although many of the issues discussed by them appeared to be a response to the actions of Beijing throughout the region.
The proposed cybersecurity deal will promote cooperation in capacity building, research and development, and security and resilience in critical information infrastructure, 5G, the Internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), he said. the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Recognizing the role increasingly played by digital technologies, the two ministers highlighted the need for robust and resilient digital and cyber systems and, in this context, welcomed the finalization of the text of the cybersecurity agreement,” the ministry said.
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The ministers “emphasized that a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region must be based on diversified and resilient supply chains; and in this context, welcomed the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative between India, Japan, Australia and other like-minded countries, ”added the ministry.
The ministers met a day after participating with their Australian and US counterparts in the second ministerial meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, which pushed for a rules-based global order and peaceful dispute resolution in the face of rising Chinese aggression through India. Peaceful.
Sameer Patil, a fellow for international security studies at Gateway House, described the proposed cybersecurity deal as significant as it will build on an existing dialogue with Japan at a time when both countries are facing challenges from hacking and other emanating threats. from countries like China. and North Korea.
“The problems faced by Hitachi Payment Services in 2016, when malware caused the breach of financial data and comprised the data of 3.2 million debit cards in India, is an example that shows that the challenge of cybersecurity it is joint and it can only be addressed through joint collaboration, ”he said.
The proposed agreement is also important as it covers critical information infrastructure, including infrastructure for banks and payment systems, telecommunications and the internet, nuclear reactors and power transmission systems, transportation systems such as air traffic control and supply systems. of water. “All of these are essential to the functioning of the economy, politics and society,” said Patil.
During their discussions, Jaishankar and Motegi agreed that the Indo-Pacific had “become more prominent in recent times” and that India and Japan need to work together for the benefit of the region.
Reaffirming the similarities in their respective views of the Indo-Pacific, which are based on the rule of law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Japanese side agreed to be the lead partner in the connectivity pillar of the Oceans Initiative. of the Indo-Pacific (IPOI) and jointly carry out the respective visions of both countries for the Indo-Pacific ”, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
IPOI, presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the East Asia Summit in November 2019, has seven pillars: maritime security, trade and connectivity, disaster risk reduction and management, scientific and technological cooperation, marine pollution reduction, sustainable use of marine resources and capacity building.
Motegi said Japan attaches importance to its strategic relations with India and referred to Tokyo’s Covid-19-related aid for New Delhi, which includes a 50 billion yen emergency assistance loan and a 1 billion yen grant. yen to provide medical equipment.
A reading from Japan’s Foreign Ministry said the ministers “reaffirmed the importance of implementing Japan-India cooperation in third countries such as ASEAN and Southwest Asian countries and making steady progress on the high-speed rail project. “.
Jaishankar also held a separate meeting with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne. “The progress of our bilateral relations was reviewed after the Virtual Summit between our PMs. We discuss expanding our cooperation in global affairs and regional affairs. We will work more closely together in multilateral forums, ”he tweeted.
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