General Assembly General Assembly

Open-ended Working Group on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security (OEWG)-

 

Third Substantive Session [8-12 March 2021]

 

India Statement by Dr. S. Janakiraman,

Joint Secretary [Cyber Diplomacy]

 

12 March 2021

 

Mr Chair,

 

and distinguished colleagues,

 

We are in the cusp of taking a decision on the OEWG’s report. On the final hour of our substantive session, my delegation thanks the Chair wholeheartedly for bringing us to this final leg of our journey. We also thank the Secretariat for its tireless work and facilitating the process, despite the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic. We had to adapt and innovate our working methods to ensure that the desired result is achieved in this important Working Group.

 

Gratitude to also to the member states for their patience and consideration of others views as well as for their significant contributions to make the report balanced and worthy. The process helped to hear diverse views and observations of the Member States and understand the sensitivities of the countries with respect to evolving nature of the cyberspace. My delegation tried our best to contribute to the process in every way possible so that both the developing and developed countries voices are heard in right spirit.

 

Let me offer a few specific comments on the Final report:

  • Concerns were raised during the discussions regarding the placment of the International Law section. The placement of the International Law section after Norms section in the final report is acceptable to us.

 

  • On International law section, the States raised the issue of having a common understanding of applicability of International Law to ICTs. The recommendation part in para 40 has taken this issue into consideration.

 

  • The recommendation in para 77 also paves a way for furthering discussions on Program of Action, including under the new OEWG. This is a welcome development.

 

  • We also welcome the recommendation in para 33 about the further elaboration of rules, norms and principles of responsible behaviour of States in the future OEWG on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021-2025

 

Mr. Chair,

We have held a number of informal and formal consultation since September 2019. My delegation has put forward matters of substantial importance by way of verbal and written contribution keeping mind overall hygiene of cyberspace and international security. The most important one is the supply chain and associated risks. We underlined the critical importance of ‘trust and trusted sources” when it comes to preferring suppliers of ICT products and systems. This is of significance to not just us but to the international community at large.

 

We also made a statement regarding the way forward on Regular Institutional Dialogue with an interplay of the Program of Action and the new Open-Ended Working Group on Security. Along with these, we have submitted number of written recommendations to the Chair that are importance for the OEWG procedure. We are disappointed to see that these submissions do not find a place in the final report.

 

Many Member states, who made statements and interventions in the last two years, also share our disappointment as we did not get opportunities to debate on these language proposal and nuances of it. My delegation had requested for a shortened version of the discussions Section. But in the final draft the whole ‘Discussions’ section is taken out and modified under Chair’s summary. Nevertheless, I am happy to hear that the disappointments did not affect the consultation process per se and the consensus.

 

Mr. Chair,

Like the colleagues who spoke before me, we too have mixed feelings about the final outcome. The report is not a true reflection of the hard-work that all of us had put in this process. Though the report does not meet our expectations, we are extending our support to the final report and to the Chair in the larger interest of all member states that have partnered in the OEWG process.

 

Our support is a mark of respect for all the members who have invested and contributed in the process since last two years. We have to remember that this is the first stepping stone in the long journey of ensuring safety and security in the cyberspace. The final report marks the international community’s first leg of the long way  in cyberspace.

 

Thank you Chair and thank you colleagues.