"Apart from the issues of e-governance, cyber crime, cyber espionage, cyber warfare has also become important concerns for governments. Governments all over pay a great deal of attention in preventing attacks on critical infrastructure," Gupta said.
He said there is a fear that cyberspace can be used for corporate espionage. The protection of critical infrastructure has become an important issue in bilateral and multilateral forums, he said.
Stating that in this context 'cyber diplomacy' is important, Gupta pointed out that in a era where billions of devices are interconnected, cyber security will become more important an issue.
"Challenging the future will be complex and will require innovative approaches to handle the threats from the cyber space," he added.
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Gupta was delivering a keynote address on 'Cyber Diplomacy' at the 'Cyber 360' conclave organised by Synergia foundation here.
Noting that cyber issues will affect the prosperity and security of the nation, Gupta said cyber security has become an "important element" of foreign policy and diplomacy.
"Given its importance for national security, public safety... In developing international agreements on how to behave in cyber space, and how to ensure safe, stable and open internet - cyber diplomacy has become increasingly important for India as well," he said.
He also advocated a stable and secure internet infrastructure.
Gupta mentioned social media and its efficient utilisation as a diplomatic tool in public outreach, in handling emergency evacuation and disaster relief. "But, there is also a negative side of social media," he added.
He said: "The challenge before the government is to ensure a right balance between the security concerns that arise out of using social media and increasing reliance of citizens on it."