Cyber Week, BRICS, Germany and G7
In this week’s edition, I discuss the Quad Cyber Challenge, the G7 Defense Ministers’ meeting, the German delegation to India, and the 16th BRICS Summit.
Credits: BRICS Summit 2024
Quad Cyber Challenge 2024
The 2024 Quad Cyber Challenge, held last week, focused on building a robust cybersecurity framework through education, awareness, and workforce development. It included various outreach initiatives to instil secure cyber habits and promote cybersecurity as a viable career path.
The event was hosted at the White House, where U.S. officials highlighted the importance of cybersecurity training, targeting youth involvement in cyber-related federal services and the private sector. This initiative aimed to bridge talent gaps in cybersecurity by connecting students with established professionals and providing insights into cybersecurity education pathways.
In addition to public awareness efforts, India emphasised its “Cyber Swachhta Abhiyaan” to reinforce cyber hygiene among students. Japan’s National Center of Incident Readiness featured messages from cybersecurity experts to further the educational aspect of the challenge. The Quad Cyber Challenge builds on last year’s success in making digital security more accessible and ingrained in everyday practices across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
First G7 Ministerial on Defense
At the recent G7 Defense Ministers meeting in Naples on October 19, 2024, G7 leaders, joined by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, addressed escalating global security concerns, particularly the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Key issues included reaffirming long-term support for Ukraine’s defence and integration into NATO. Ministers emphasised an “irreversible” path for Ukraine's NATO membership. They explored ways to enhance support through NATO and EU initiatives like the European Peace Facility and the EU Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine. They discussed developing Ukraine's military capacity to ensure it meets NATO standards, with an additional focus on strengthening defence industry cooperation to accelerate and align production across member nations.
The Middle East crisis also dominated discussions, especially the recent violence between Israel and Hamas and the rising tensions in Lebanon involving Hezbollah. They highlighted concerns over Iranian involvement in the region and the potential risks of Iran's cooperation with Russia in military technology transfers. Ministers supported the protection of civilians and the continuation of diplomatic efforts toward a two-state solution as a sustainable peace framework. This first meeting for G7 defence ministers marks a commitment to collective security efforts, aligning NATO and G7 strategies to address global threats effectively.
Scholz in India
After his return from Kazan, PM Modi met Chancellor Olaf Scholz this week for the 7th Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC) and the Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK). German Vice Chancellor and Economic Affairs Minister Robert Habeck and Siemens CEO Roland Busch co-chaired the event.
The visit reflects Germany’s commitment to position India as a hub for collaborative efforts addressing environmental and economic challenges, including strategies for "derisking" from overly concentrated supply chains. The leaders also discussed bilateral opportunities in green technologies to support India's infrastructure modernisation.
According to the joint statement, both sides concluded the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in Criminal Matters (MLAT) to enable the sharing of information and evidence and the Agreement on the Exchange and Mutual Protection of Classified Information to create a legal framework for handling, protecting and transmitting classified information.
Germany also announced plans to increase visas for skilled Indian workers from 20,000 to 90,000 annually. Scholz emphasised Germany’s support for managed migration pathways to address skilled labour shortages while maintaining immigration integrity. Education partnerships, including a dual-degree program between Dresden University and IIT Madras, were also solidified.
The Chancellor's itinerary includes a visit to Goa, where the German naval frigate Baden-Wuerttemberg and combat support ship Frankfurt am Main will make a scheduled port call as a part of Germany’s Indo-Pacific deployment.
BRICS Summit 2024
The 2024 BRICS Summit, held from October 22-24 in Kazan, Russia, was the first gathering of the expanded BRICS bloc, now including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, reflecting BRICS’ influence and ambition. The summit’s Kazan Declaration called for greater multipolarity, support for the Global South, and reform of international governance structures. It also advocated for trade in local currencies and reinforcing economic sovereignty among BRICS nations to reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar.
The declaration emphasised equitable global governance, urging reforms in institutions like the WTO and the International Monetary Fund to give emerging economies more influence. Additionally, it highlighted the need for sustainable development, calling for collaboration in climate adaptation efforts.
Other takeaways included commitments to digital sovereignty, cybersecurity and recognition of the importance of technological independence. The summit also facilitated several bilateral discussions, including talks between Indian Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi, to strengthen relations and address regional security concerns.
The war in Gaza was condemned at length, with member states reaffirming their support for Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations and a commitment to the vision of the two-state solution. Ukraine was only mentioned once in the clause, noting,
“We recall national positions concerning the situation in and around Ukraine as expressed in the appropriate fora, including the UNSC and the UNGA. We emphasise that all states should act consistently with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interrelation.”
While BRICS and the Quad differ in their core objectives, they have overlapping areas of convergence—addressing climate change, ensuring health security, and advancing technological innovation. Although they have arisen out of dramatically contrasting geopolitical motivations, India finds itself the only common denominator, intending to use that to its maximum advantage in pursuit of a flexible and pragmatic foreign policy.
Want to decipher an alien script, uncover the email of a crime gang, or become a code-breaker? Take these cyber challenges designed by the Australian Government as part of the QUAD Cyber Challenge! (The puzzles are designed for school students, so don’t shy away and get cracking!)
What We’re Reading and Listening to
[Podcast] With India and China coming to terms on their border dispute, tune into this All Things Policy episode where Manoj Kewalramani and Ansuhka Saxena deliberate on a New Modus Vivendi with China
[Opinion] Read Amit Kumar and Vanshika Saraf’s piece on India’s waning interest in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
[Research] Read Adya Madhavan’s latest discussion document on how the environment can serve as an area of cooperation for India and Pakistan
[Book] Feeling burnt out and looking forward to the long weekend ahead? Unwind by reading The End of Burnout by Jonathan Malesic.