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RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 000093 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR PM ERUSSELL, MMARKOFF 
JUSTICE FOR ATEELUCKSINGH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR KCIP TINT PTER EFIN ECPS KTFN EAIR
ELTN, IN 
SUBJECT: PRODUCTIVE PREP TALKS POINT TO A SUCCESSFUL 
JANUARY CYBERSECURITY EXCHANGE 
 
REF: NEW DELHI 9249 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: A well-organized and highly motivated 
National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) Information 
Security Specialist and head of the National Information 
Security Coordination Cell Commander Mukesh Saini met on 
December 20 with PM/PPA Deputy Coordinator for International 
Critical Infrastructure Protection Policy Erica Russell to 
block out the agenda for the January 16-17, 2006, 
Cybersecurity Forum in New Delhi.  MEA Director (Americas) 
Gaitri Kumar also attended but offered no substantial inputs. 
 In 90 minutes Saini and Russell reviewed the status and 
expected progress of the five working groups (WGs), discussed 
GOI proposals for additional WGs to address transportation 
and financial sector issues, and fleshed out GOI thinking on 
additional structures to advance the cybersecurity 
relationship (joint training, a joint operations fund, and a 
statement of principles.)  The discussion was later joined by 
PolCouns and NSCS Joint Secretary Arvind Gupta; all sides 
reported satisfaction with the meeting and predict a 
productive exchange in January.  End Summary. 
 
Where We Are, Where We're Going 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Saini described the US-India cybersecurity 
relationship as evolving in the right direction: "The first 
plenary (in 2002) was a political statement, the second (in 
2004) was getting to know each other and grasping the subject 
and its contours.  Now, the third (January 2006) should be 
moving into exchanges of experts, documents, and technology." 
 He recalled that the Cybersecurity Forum predates the 
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) WG and the 
High Technology Cooperative Group (HTCG).  Russell reported 
that the WG co-chairs found the bilateral workshops and 
seminars held from April-September 2005 to be very useful, 
and that the USG interlocutors look forward to the January 
plenary. 
 
Structure for the January Plenary 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Saini and Russell agreed that the Cybersecurity 
Forum would convene at Vigyan Bhawan (a large, modern, 
GOI-owned conference facility in central Delhi), which 
reflects the priority New Delhi attaches to this exchange. 
The group would meet in plenary on January 16; NSA Narayanan 
or D/NSA Nambiar will provide the opening address, followed 
by opening remarks from the GOI and USG delegation heads. 
For January 17, the WGs would meet for the first half of the 
day, and report their progress at the plenary's conclusion. 
Russell and Saini agreed that the focus of presentations 
should be on the way ahead, not on recapping past 
accomplishments. 
 
Three WGs Ready to Go 
--------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Russell passed Saini a list from Anthony 
 
NEW DELHI 00000093  002 OF 004 
 
 
Teelucksingh of DOJ's Computer Crime and Intellectual 
Property Section outlining the topics DOJ wants to cover in 
January, and relayed that Teelucksingh was pleased with the 
progress to date.  Saini responded that the list of topics 
appears to meet GOI's expectations. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Russell told Saini that DHS Director for 
International Affairs and Public Policy (National 
Cybersecurity Division) Liesyl Franz and a US-CERT technical 
expert would attend in January.  She added that Franz had 
difficulty contacting the Indian co-chair for the Watch & 
Warning/Critical Infrastructure Protection WG, but the two 
were now coordinating for the plenary. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Saini reported "reasonably good progress" from the 
Standards & Software Assurance WG (which he proposed, and 
Russell agreed, to rename "Standards & Assurances WG"). 
Russell told Saini that WG co-chair Dr. Ron Ross of NIST's 
Computer Security Division could not attend the January 
Forum, but a DOC colleague -- Dan Hurley of NTIA -- who is 
well versed in Ross's portfolio would fill in. 
 
R&D WG on Hold but Long-Term Health Assured 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Russell reported that there was no immediate 
successor to R&D co-chair Dr. Stan Riveles to attend the 
plenary, but a PM/PPA detailee, Dr. Bruce Averill, would come 
on board in early 2006 with the responsibility to revive the 
WG and to implement measurable initiatives with his 
counterpart.  Saini was pleased that Riveles' replacement 
would have a two-year tenure.  (NOTE: Saini's one abiding 
concern in recent months has been that frequent turnover in 
the GOI and USG would retard progress, forcing meetings to be 
postponed and the WGs to have to constantly get to know each 
other repeatedly.  End Note.) 
 
Industry-Industry Dialogue, "Offshoring the Offshoring" 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Saini and Russell agreed on the importance of 
increasing industry's role, with Saini highlighting that 
industry is where the innovation lies, and Russell noting 
that US industry owns and operates most of the country's 
critical infrastructure.  Russell asked Saini if the topic of 
data protection in "offshoring the offshoring" (Indian BPOs 
farming out their business to third-country firms) would be 
too sensitive to include during the plenary, or if it should 
be discussed in private.  Saini readily suggested having an 
Indian BPO firm speak on the topic during the plenary, and 
Gupta later seconded the approval.  Saini requested a 
presentation on the role of the USG in Industry Sector 
Advisory Committees (ISACs). 
 
GOI Proposals for Financial, Transport WGs Moving Slowly 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Saini outlined that the GOI's proposed Financial 
Sector WG would address both securing legitimate financial 
 
NEW DELHI 00000093  003 OF 004 
 
 
transactions and tracking illicit finances (Reftel).  Russell 
offered support for the proposal and is making the case to 
relevant USG agencies, but lining up appropriate partners is 
a slow process.  Saini admitted he was having the same 
difficulty enlisting the Finance Ministry.  The two agreed to 
invite US Treasury and Finance Ministry to the plenary as an 
educational exercise, and to work toward a Financial Sector 
WG later in 2006. (NOTE: US Treasury asked to meet with 
PM/PPA before the end of December to discuss possible 
participation in the Forum and international cyber security 
and CIP engagements in general.  Russell will advise of the 
outcome of these discussions afterwards.  End Note.) 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Saini acknowledged to Russell that the GOI had the 
greater need for transportation sector cybersecurity 
assistance.  Both agreed that, as US-India direct air links 
expand, the importance of securing airline passenger and 
cargo data grows rapidly; however, Saini nodded to the 
enormous volume of Indian rail traffic that presents in his 
view a more likely target for a cyber attack.  "Imagine if 
our national railway reservation system were locked for just 
one hour, the result would be chaos," he predicted.  Saini 
stated the Railways Ministry is beginning to stand up a CERT, 
but he doubted if either it or Civil Aviation Ministry could 
actively participate in the January Forum.  Saini and Russell 
agreed to encourage government and corporate transportation 
stakeholders to attend the plenary and the GOI-proposed 
January 20-21 seminar on Cybersecurity in the Civil Aviation 
Sector (Reftel) with an eye to forming a WG later in 2006. 
(NOTE: Upon return to D.C., Russell advised that she now has 
TSA contacts with whom she is discussing the administration's 
 
SIPDIS 
possible participation in the Forum and the subsequent GOI 
proposed Civil Aviation workshop.) 
 
GOI Joint Fund/Joint Institute Proposal: Looking for $$ 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Russell told Saini that her office has been unable 
to locate funds in either the Department or DHS to support 
the GOI proposal for a Cybersecurity Joint Fund (Reftel), but 
they are still looking.  Saini suggested the two sides first 
agree to the concept, and secure funds (at a 50-50 split) 
further down the road.  He explained that the fund would help 
protect cybersecurity travel and training from the budget 
cycle.  Russell replied that she would have an answer on 
conceptual agreement by January.  On the Joint Institute, 
Saini reported that he would formally present a proposal 
after he fully clears the concept within the GOI. 
 
Something to Sign, Seal and Deliver 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU) To Saini's request to enshrine our cybersecurity 
relationship in an agreement or protocol as a post-Forum 
deliverable, Russell suggested a declaration of principles -- 
which creates no new obligations, retains flexibility, and 
would be much faster to clear through the inter-agency 
process than a Letter of Agreement or Memorandum of 
Understanding.  Saini agreed to draft such a declaration. 
 
NEW DELHI 00000093  004 OF 004 
 
 
Subsequent discussions with PolCouns and Gupta indicated the 
desire to announce the declaration during POTUS's upcoming 
visit in early 2006. 
 
January Follow-Up: NSCS Doing its Homework 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶13.  (SBU) In a January 5 follow-up conversation, Gupta 
informed PolCouns that the WG co-chairs would complete their 
draft agendas in the next 1-2 days.  He expects 8-10 Indian 
participants for each WG, and requests that the US side field 
at least 3-4 to ensure productive exchanges.  Characterizing 
the forthcoming event as an "open forum with a large GOI and 
industry presence," Gupta queried PolCouns to ensure a 
sizable delegation to represent US industry.  A draft of the 
proposed POTUS deliverable should also be ready before the 
plenary opens, to allow the USG side sufficient time to 
consider the language. 
 
Comment: Cooperation at the Speed of Thought 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶14.  (SBU) It is clear that this relationship is progressing 
well and shows excellent potential for further growth.  In 
many respects the only drags on the cybersecurity 
relationship are the constraints of money and bodies.  The 
NSCS and most of the WGs are firmly on board, if not leading 
the way, and Saini and Gupta appear willing to push any 
lagging GOI elements to maintain the momentum.  Saini's 
expansion plans for sector-specific interactions are 
generally of mutual interest, and he freely admits where 
Indian interests outweigh USG's (as in railways security). 
It is also noteworthy that NSCS clearly has the pen on this 
issue, with MEA along for the ride -- the Foreign Ministry 
simply does not have the expertise on this topic, although 
they are supporting it as best they can.  The GOI is focusing 
on what is achievable, and is for now avoiding USG redlines 
(such as steganography) to avoid any bottlenecks.  All signs 
point to mutually beneficial progress continuing in this area 
of our relationship. 
BLAKE