First US-India cybersecurity drive launched to strengthen IT partnership

The US Consulate, in collaboration with the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), launched the first-ever US-India Cyber Security Initiative to strengthen IT connections between the two countries. US Consul General Mike Hankey, who was in Pune at the MCCIA Pune Business International Business Summit on Monday, said the initiative aims to unite top cyber security experts globally to create jobs and develop cutting-edge solutions. The initiative will lead the city into a mentorship model in cyber space and will also foster people-to-people ties in cyberspace, he said. The launch is timely, since digital technologies are advancing more rapidly than at any previous point in human history, he added. Hankey emphasized that a secure, resilient, and stable cyberspace is crucial for the development of both the public and private sectors, enabling people worldwide to benefit from the free flow of information online.