India and Australia join the group to discuss cyber security for the first time

According to the report of Economic Times

To further enhance cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, top leaders of the US, India, Japan and Australia are set to hold the first meeting of the 'Quadrilateral Security Dialogue', also known as the Quad Dialogue.

The Indian delegation to the meeting was led by Paulomi Tripathi, Director (Oceania) in the Ministry of External Affairs, while the Australian side was led by Rachel James, Special Adviser on Cyber ​​Affairs and Critical Technology in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Ministry of External Affairs said that both sides look forward to the early conduct of the next bilateral Cyber ​​Policy Dialogue and the inaugural JWG meeting on Information and Communication Technologies.

India and Australia on Thursday agreed on broad-based cooperation in the areas of digital economy and cyber-enabled critical technologies, including the need for critical information infrastructure such as 5G telecommunications networks.

The move comes amid growing global concerns over China and its growing firmness in the region.

The JWG virtual meeting comes a year after the two countries escalated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during an online summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison.

Announcing the summit, the External Affairs Ministry speaker said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the first leaders' summit of the quadrilateral along with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and US President Joseph R. Biden. Framework, it is being held on 12 March 2021.

“Given the need to strengthen the security of critical information infrastructure as well as 5G technology and IoT (Internet of Things) devices, India and Australia work together in enhancing cooperation with the private sector and academia and in skill and knowledge development. agreed to do.

Officially known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, the Quad Grouping first came into existence in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Subsequently, however, the group's activities were revived in 2017 to focus on moving beyond the areas of humanitarian aid and disaster relief and furthering efforts to ensure a "free, open and inclusive" Indo-Pacific.

“The leaders will discuss regional and global issues of common interest, and exchange views on practical areas of cooperation towards maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. The summit will provide an opportunity to exchange views on contemporary challenges such as resilient supply chains, emerging and critical technologies, maritime security and climate change.

It should be noted that former US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo called for the Quad to "institutionalise" after the Group of Foreign Ministers meeting last October. He then said that the group had the potential to "push back against the Chinese Communist Party".