Evaluating India’s Role in the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime; Diplomacy Lab:

Diplomacy Lab is an partnership between the State Department and various universities. Professors write bids for relevant projects, then spend the semester researching and writing policy briefs for various offices at the State Department. Students enroll in IS/PSCI 4034: Topics in Diplomacy Lab to earn 3 credits. Opportunities include participating in group research (with undergraduates, MA students, PhD candidates, faculty, and practitioners), publishing, and presenting in Washington D.C.

Interested students should contact Chris Price chprice5@vt.edu or visit 119 Major Williams Hall.

All majors are welcome!

Project Overview:

The U.S.-India cyber relationship represents one of the high-points of our bilateral diplomatic relationship as the two countries discuss strategic issues relating to digital development, internet governance, information sharing, and norms of state behavior in cyberspace. Despite the positive and wide-ranging cyber interactions, joint cybercrime investigations and access to digital information remains an open issue. While there is goodwill on both sides to improve the situation, the process to request and receive electronic information is complex, cumbersome, and involves multiple stakeholders – many of whom are outside of government. Identifying ways to improve cybercrime information sharing is an important element of the U.S.-Indian cyber relationship.

India’s Accession to the Budapest Convention could provide India improved access to electronic information in the United States and elsewhere, although many of the benefits may be indirect. The Convention is the first international treaty addressing Internet and computer crime by harmonizing national laws, improving investigative techniques, and increasing cooperation among nations. The Treaty is implemented by Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, with the active participation of the Council of Europe's observer states Canada, Japan, South Africa and the United States. As of September 2015, 47 states have ratified the convention, while a further seven states had signed the convention but not ratified it. There are also additional countries involved in various ways, but Brazil and India have declined to adopt

This project will provide an independent assessment as to whether or not Indian accession to Budapest would help advance the country’s efforts to request and obtain cybercrime information.

The study should look at both the direct and indirect benefits of Budapest, as well as “soft power” aspects of the project to guide the world community going forward, e.g., be a party to future amendments. The project should also look at any potential negatives for India, as well as costs, resources. The effort should include perspectives from the Indian government (at both State and Federal levels) but also the pros/cons of other stakeholders, including those involved with other country’s ascension experience.