“We need to protect the functionality of the internet so that the cyber space is not misused,” said Mr. Nitin Desai, Special Adviser to UN Secretary General on Internet Governance and Former Chairman of Multistakeholder Advisory Group for Internet Governance Forum. He stated that the world is facing a situation where Internet is threatening the security of nations and thus a regulatory body is necessary.

Desai was addressing a multi-stakeholder discussion on ‘India’s Position in the UN on Internet Governance: UN Committee for Internet Related Policies (UN-CIRP)’ at FICCI here on Wednesday.

Ambassador A Gopinathan, India’s former Permanent Representative to UN in Geneva, stated that the governance model for the Internet as advocated by India was multilateral, transparent and democratic in nature. He denied that the government is taking away the right to expression from its people. He stressed that government is looking at regulations to avoid any unfortunate incident in the future.

There was much discussion on the proposal with most people agreeing that UN-CIRP in its present form will promote censorship of the internet.
 In October 2011, the Government of India submitted a proposal for establishment of a new institutional mechanism for global internet governance by way of the United Nations Committee on Internet Related Policy (UN-CIRP).

The UN-CIRP’s mandate will include inter alia tasks such as developing and establishing international public policies relating to global issues of internet; coordinating and overseeing bodies responsible for the technical and operational functioning of the internet; facilitating negotiation of treaties, conventions and agreements on internet related public policy; address developmental issues, promote and protect human rights, including the right to development; undertake arbitrations and dispute resolution where necessary and crisis management.

The panellist, which included eminent personalities such as Dr. Kamlesh Bajaj, CEO, DSCI; Mr. Parminder Jeet Singh, Executive Director, IT for Change; Mr. Sunil Abraham, Executive Director, Center for Internet and Society; Dr. Mahesh Uppal, Adviser, Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI); Mr. Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, President, Foundation for Media Professional; Mr. Naresh Ajwani, Member, NRO NC-Asia Pacific Network Information Center (APNIC) and Mr. Vikram Tiwathia, Associate Director General, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) understood the proposal from all angles and put forth their views regarding the issue.