India, France have similar visions for data security

New Delhi and Paris’ similar visions for data security and internet governance will be reflected in a roadmap on digital issues and cyber-security that is expected to be adopted during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France, people familiar with developments said on Tuesday.

The two sides are working closely on internet governance and protection of data and steps will also be taken to foster closer collaboration between the national institutions for super computing, the people said ahead of Modi’s visit during August 22-23.

Several agreements are expected to be signed during Modi’s visit and the two sides are hoping to conclude a techno-commercial agreement on building a 10,000 MW nuclear power plant at Jaitapur next year, the people said. India and France signed an “industrial way forward” agreement on the Jaitapur plant, which will have six reactor units, in March 2018.

“We are very positive on this project. We have never worked so actively,” said one of the people cited above, noting that things had progressed smoothly with regard to the project over the past three years.

On the issue of data security, the people said India and France had not adopted China’s position of “tech for control” or the stance of some Western countries of using “tech for money”. Both sides were using “tech for good” as they have similar values and visions, the people said, adding this will be part of the roadmap on digital issues and cyber-security to be framed during Modi’s visit.

India and France are also looking at ramping up capabilities for maritime surveillance in the Indian Ocean and cooperation in training astronauts for India’s proposed manned space mission, the people said.

The two sides are actively engaged in exchanges of information and cooperation to prevent the use of the internet for radicalisation and spread of extremist ideologies and to counter terror financing, the people said. India is among the handful of countries identified by France for collaboration in tackling climate change and safeguarding multilateral systems, they added.

On the issue of terror financing, the people said it is up to Pakistan to demonstrate “whether they have done the job” ahead of the Financial Action Task Force’s plenary meeting in Paris in October, which will decide whether the country should be blacklisted for failing to counter the funding of terror groups.