US needs to build partnership with India on cyber security, say American experts

The US needs to build up partnership with India on cyber security issues, said eminent American experts, noting that New Delhi faces threat in the cyber sphere from Pakistan, China and non-state actors.

The US needs to build up partnership with India on cyber security issues, said eminent American experts, noting that New Delhi faces threat in the cyber sphere from Pakistan, China and non-state actors.

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"The Indians' primary concern in cyber security is with Pakistan and Pakistani non-state actors or state-sponsored actors launching some kind of attack against India. Their second concern is Chinese espionage," James Lewis, director and senior fellow, Centre for Strategic International Studies' Technology and Public Policy Programme, told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing.

"One of the things that works in our favour is they aren't particularly friends with the Chinese all the time, and they worry a lot about it. So we have an opportunity to work with India. The thing we have to avoid in doing that is giving the impression that we're trying to contain China," he said.

"The Chinese worry about this a lot. We do need to build up partnership with India, but we have to do it in a way that doesn't appear to be deliberately trying to contain China," Lewis said in response to a question during a hearing of the Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on 'Asia: The Cyber Security Battleground'.

Noting that India is recognised as the leading producer of international spam, he said, "Their co-ordination with external experts to root out these botnets and sources of spam is really critical not only for India but for the rest of the world, particularly English-speaking countries."

Congressman Steve Chabot said, "Cooperation with India is an important aspect of US efforts to rebound towards Asia, especially in regards to trade and military cooperation."