India in touch with foreign Govts on cyber security: Prasad

Boston: With India placing high priority to cyber security, the government is in talks with a number of countries, including the US, for co-operation to check cyber espionage and other attacks, Union Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Sunday.

"The Prime Minister himself has said, cyber security represents something like bloodless war. Therefore, cyber security is an agenda of great importance for our government," Prasad, who was here to attend the annual India Conference of the Harvard University, told PTI.

Emphasising that India is very particular on the issue of cyber security, the minister said the government is in talks with a number of countries including the US in this regard.

"Internet is the finest creation of human mind. It should not be allowed to be abused by a few. In that scenario there is greater co-operation among countries world over," he said.

The minister said the ambitious Digital India campaign has aroused great interest about the country across the world and the total digital economy being pursued by India is going to be USD one trillion in the next two-three years.

"I see a lot of digital delivery of services happening (in the next few years)," he said, adding that governance is gradually moving towards on the mobile phone.

Underlining that programmes initiated by India has "caught the fancy" of the world, Prasad said that American companies are "very keen" to partner in India's growth story.

"This shows the interest being reflected in India's turnaround story," said Prasad, who held meetings with a large number of academicians, research scholars and top business executives on India and India related issues.

"May be the personal chemistry of the US President (Barack) Obama and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi, is also a reason for this kind of renewed interest," he said.