The 2nd India-Netherlands Cyber Dialogue: Discussing Contemporary Issues
The Second India-Netherlands Cyber Dialogue was held on the 3rd of February, 2023 in New Delhi. It was a joint initiative aimed at strengthening the ties between India and the Netherlands in the field of cyber security. The Dialogue was co-chaired by Ms. Muanpuii Saiawi, Joint Secretary of the Cyber Diplomacy Division in India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Ms. Nathalie Jaarsma, the Ambassador at-Large for Security Policy and Cyber from the Government of the Netherlands.
The Indian delegation consisted of senior representatives from various key government departments, including the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Telecommunications, CERT-In, and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre. The delegation from the Netherlands was composed of senior members of the Cyber Task Force from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with representatives from the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands, including the Innovation and Defense Attachés.
The Second India-Netherlands Cyber Dialogue was organized in response to recent developments in the global cyberspace landscape and was aimed at establishing a comprehensive and deeper level of cyber cooperation between the respective cyber agencies and departments in both India and the Netherlands. The Dialogue provided an opportunity for both countries to engage in discussions on important topics related to cyberspace, as well as a range of high-priority issues of mutual interest.
During the Dialogue, discussions centered around key strategic priorities, cyber threat assessments, next-generation telecommunications (including 5G technology), capacity-building initiatives (such as the Indo-Dutch Cyber Security School), cooperation in multilateral fora, and the latest developments in cyber at the United Nations. At the end of the Dialogue, India and the Netherlands agreed to explore opportunities for further collaboration with the involvement of relevant stakeholders.
The Third India-Netherlands Cyber Dialogue is planned to be held in 2024 and is expected to continue the work started in the previous two Dialogues, further strengthening the ties between both nations in the field of cyber security.
