Will India amend UN Internet governance proposal?

 NEW DELHI, INDIA: Rattled by the Indian government proposal on the Internet governance submitted to the United Nations (UN) Committee for Internet Related Policies (UN-CIRP), the industry mulls over its aspects by raising questions over necessity and urgency to push recommendations.

FICCI organized a multistakeholders’ discussion in New Delhi on the India’s October 2011 proposal to the UN-CIRP. The proposal advocates  establishment of a new institutional mechanism for global Internet governance.

Lawmaker Rajeev Chandrashekhar said that there is 50-member intergovernmental panel overseeing the October 10 resolution of the UN. The CIRP, he said, facilitates transparency and promises to take on board multistakeholders, but it allows direct participation.

“If Brazil and South Africa refused to participate, why shouldn’t India take independent stand,” Chandrashekhar said. He believes that Cybersecurity is a small element of the internet that could be resolved within the nation.

Nitin Desai, special advisor to the UN secretary general on Internet Governance, feels that Internet regulation is plagued by jurisdiction issues. “Multistakeholders are trying to protect functionality and Cyber defense has to engage all,” he said.

Desai also believes that the role of stakeholders is vital. “We should adopt a process to look at solutions,“ he added. The issue, Desai said is not left to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) or the Ministry of Defense.

A Gopinathan, former India’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva said that political consensus already exists, including mechanism. The working group of the inter-governmental forum says that the process is multilateral, transparent and democratic, he said.

Gopinathan said that changes were made on the pretext that India wanted to control Internet. The interface between public policies on the Internet and private companies is crucial. Striking a balance between the two is important,” he added. 

NIXI CEO and senior director at DeitY Dr Govind said that they have to take informed decision in policy making and address  technical issues. “DIT drafted the proposal which was given by the Ministry of External Affairs. The government has formed IMG (inter ministerial group) and all stakeholders will be invited to give their views," he said. 

Virat Bhatia, Chairman of the Communication and Digital Economy Committee, FICCI, said that the Indian Government's decision on this issue had triggered a debate in the country and put a question mark on the proposal which was submitted in the UN.

Dushyant Singh, Member of Parliament had on August 26, 2011 had made India’s stand clear at the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly. 

The UN-CIRP mandate would include inter alia tasks such as developing and establishing international public policies relating to global issues of Internet; coordinating and overseeing bodies responsible for the technical and operational functioning of the Internet; and facilitating negotiation of treaties.