On Wednesday, an India-EU round table will be held in New Delhi to discuss cooperation in combatting online disinformation and information manipulation. Over 35 experts from both sides will participate in the discussion, unpacking the security and policy aspects of the topic and possible collaborations between the two sides in the field.
Combatting Online Disinformation
In addition to encouraging governmental and non-governmental actors in the EU and India to compare notes and exchange best practices for combating misinformation, the peer-to-peer discussion will examine trends in the use of disinformation online. The two sides will deliberate foreign policy responses to disinformation in both regions and highlight developments to disrupt malicious actors, along with reflecting on the role played by civil society to address disinformation and build resilience. They will also focus on safeguarding free speech and privacy.
New Delhi to host roundtable to discuss EU-India cooperation in combating online disinformation, information manipulation
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Speakers from across the EU, including from the European External Action Service (EEAS), the German and Polish Foreign Ministries, and the French Embassy in New Delhi, will be a part of the discussion. Representatives from India’s National Cyber Coordination Centre and the National Security Council Secretariat will represent India at the meeting.
Track 1.5 Dialogue
The event, titled “Combatting disinformation online: EU and Indian perspectives,” is the 4th roundtable co-organised by the EU-funded project Enhancing Security Cooperation In and With Asia (ESIWA) and the Indian Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the EU Delegation to India.
The ESIWA and ORF have repeatedly reaffirmed their commitment to an “open, free, secure, stable, peaceful and accessible cyberspace that enables economic growth and innovation.” To promote further cooperation in the area, they have held a series of track 1.5 dialogues. Track 1.5 Diplomacy denotes a kind of diplomacy in which official and non-official actors work together to resolve conflicts.
The upcoming meeting will be held on the sidelines of the 9th Raisina Dialogue, which is being held by ORF and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The previous India-EU meetings were held in April 2022, October 2022, and March 2023 in New Delhi.
Online Disinformation and India
“In the physical world, Europe might seem far away from Asia, but in cyberspace, we live together, sometimes in a complex, dangerous cyber neighbourhood where our societies depend on resilient, trustworthy digital services and where we can all become victims to malicious cyber-attacks, said Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to India Seppo Nurmi.
Mindaugas Lasas, one of the speakers at the event, said that the dialogue comes at a time when online disinformation is a growing political and security challenge impacting both sides.
The recent Global Risks Report by the World Economic Forum revealed that India has the highest risk of disinformation and misinformation globally. Earlier, the Internet Freedom Report had also flagged the increasing content manipulation efforts in India ahead of the 2024 general elections.