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The UN established its first permanent Global Mechanism for cybersecurity which will begin operations in March 2026. The policy framework for Western countries exists because their current strategies are being developed. The situation in India presents greater complexity and higher levels of interest than any other country.

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The Fence That Became a Vantage Point
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The United Nations cybersecurity talks have seen India actively participate since their start. India brought its proposal for an open and inclusive multilateral framework which was supported by Western states who wanted to establish universal norms and responsible state behaviour but India did not accept their geopolitical viewpoint.

India did not support the Russia-led bloc which wanted a permanent open-ended working group that would focus only on plenary meetings and the country also rejected the European Union's Program of Action. India maintained its previous stance by supporting multilateralism as a general principle while showing hesitation about backing specific power structures.

The fence now provides an advantage because it no longer serves as a point of vulnerability. India's non-alignment provides him with operational power because the body operates through decision-making which requires all members to agree.

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Sovereignty First, Norms Second
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The digital sovereignty framework which defines India's long-standing cybersecurity diplomatic activities serves as the country's fundamental cybersecurity diplomatic framework. New Delhi has been reluctant to endorse frameworks that could constrain how it manages its own cyberspace, whether through content regulation, surveillance architecture, or incident response. The Indian government establishes its control over internet governance through its implementation of VPN regulations and CERT-In reporting requirements and data localization discussions. 

The new Global Mechanism creates a situation which India must handle because it creates an uncommon diplomatic situation. The framework's five pillars, threats, norms, international law, confidence-building measures, and capacity-building, each carry embedded assumptions that don't sit neatly with India's domestic policy posture. India supports the norm which prohibits countries from attacking each other's critical infrastructure while developing offensive cyber abilities and keeping its cyber response strategies secret.

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The Capacity-Building Opening
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The Indian government has a definite interest in dedicated thematic group 2 which focuses on building cybersecurity capacity. India exists in two opposing states because it operates as a developing nation which lacks basic national cybersecurity systems while also maintaining advanced cyber defense capabilities. The donor table exists as a platform which gives India both funding rights and complete rights to speak for developing nations. India should serve as a connecting force for DTG 2 by sharing its experience with CERT-In development and its sectoral frameworks for finance and telecom and its National Cyber Coordination Centre programs which train cybersecurity professionals while requesting capacity-building programs that follow demand-based needs assessment and local context understanding and which do not include the typical restrictions that accompany Western technical assistance.

India has done this before in other multilateral settings. The organization maintains its independence through its role as a credible Global South representative which it uses to speak for the Global South without aligning with any particular alliance.

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The DTG 1 Question: Critical Infrastructure and Strategic Ambiguity
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The DTG 1 study about ICT security challenges shows how resilience and cooperation and stability work together as different themes but creates complex challenges for India.

The 2020 Mumbai power grid incident which some researchers attribute to Chinese state-linked actors has become one of three major attacks against India's critical infrastructure together with AIIMS Delhi incidents in 2022 and ongoing cyber intrusions into defence and government networks. The international standards which govern critical infrastructure protection require actual implementation from India because the country possesses vital national assets.

India has not yet established formal processes for cyberattack attribution while its officials avoid the norm-enforcement diplomacy which Western countries practice through their coordinated attribution and sanction procedures. 

India must either develop deeper transparency about its operations or create specialized operational plans which can keep its needed information undercover if it wants to participate in DTG 1 about cross-border interdependencies and incident response collaboration. India will likely engage selectively, supporting the idea of critical infrastructure norms while resisting mechanisms that operationalise accountability.

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Geopolitical Triangulation
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The new Global Mechanism needs countries to implement their national policies because states must stop merely restating their positions. Multilateral cybersecurity forums operate as Geopolitical triangulation platforms for India. India's security system must protect its interests against its two main cyber adversaries which include China and Pakistan-based groups. 

The US and EU strategic partnership between India and these Western governments requires India to show closer ties with democratic nations through its participation in international forums. The new Global Mechanism will require India to pursue its current position by participating in capacity-building activities while developing common norms through its work on general norms language. 

India will maintain its current position between Western liberal order enforcement and Russia-China sovereignty-maximalist counter-narrative through its capacity-building activities and general norms language work.

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What India Should Actually Do
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The document establishes core argument which states early DTG development needs to be established for proper assessment of future results which applies to Indian territory and European territory. India has the credibility and technical foundation and diplomatic ties which enable it to establish itself as an agenda-setter who takes proactive actions instead of following others. India should take the following actions to achieve its goals: lead or co-lead DTG 2 discussions which focus on the capacity requirements of the Global South while advancing DG 1 areas that protect developing nations from actual threats and establish South-South cybersecurity agreements through this system which will help them bypass Western capacity development restrictions. The Global Mechanism offers an essential multilateral platform which provides advantages to countries that take initial actions. India has the ability to make an impact because it possesses strategic advantages which will be activated through its choice between active participation and total disengagement.

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References
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• http://interface-eu.org/publications/the-new-united-nations-mechanism-on-cybersecurity#a-european-strategy-for-the-dtgs
• https://disarmament.unoda.org/en/our-work/emerging-challenges/developments-field-information-and-telecommunications-context
• https://www.recordedfuture.com/research/redecho-targeting-indian-power-sector
• https://www.saikrishnaassociates.com/cert-in-issues-directions-for-information-security-practices-procedure-prevention-response-and-reporting-of-cyber-incidents/

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Starting on 16th February 2025, Google changed its advertisement platform program policy. It will permit advertisers to employ device fingerprinting techniques for user tracking. Organizations that use their advertising services are now permitted to use fingerprinting techniques for tracking their users' data. Originally announced on 18th December 2024, this rule change has sparked yet another debate regarding privacy and profits.

The Issue

Fingerprinting is a technique that allows for the collection of information about a user’s device and browser details, ultimately enabling the creation of a profile of the user. Not only used for or limited to targeting advertisements, data procured in such a manner can be used by private entities and even government organizations to identify individuals who access their services. If information on customization options, such as language settings and a user’s screen size, is collected, it becomes easier to identify an individual when combined with data points like browser type, time zone, battery status, and even IP address.

What makes this technique contentious at the moment is the lack of awareness regarding the information being collected from the user and the inability to opt out once permissions are granted.

This is unlike Google’s standard system of data collection through permission requests, such as accepting website cookies—small text files sent to the browser when a user visits a particular website. While contextual and first-party cookies limit data collection to enhance user experience, third-party cookies enable the display of irrelevant advertisements while users browse different platforms. Due to this functionality, companies can engage in targeted advertising.

This issue has been addressed in laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union (EU) and the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 (India), which mandate strict rules and regulations regarding advertising, data collection, and consent, among other things. One of the major requirements in both laws is obtaining clear, unambiguous consent. This also includes the option to opt out of previously granted permissions for cookies.

However, in the case of fingerprinting, the mechanism of data collection relies on signals that users cannot easily erase. While clearing all data from the browser or refusing cookies might seem like appropriate steps to take, they do not prevent tracking through fingerprinting, as users can still be identified using system details that a website has already collected. This applies to all IoT products as well. People usually do not frequently change the devices they use, and once a system is identified, there are no available options to stop tracking, as fingerprinting relies on device characteristics rather than data-collecting text files that could otherwise be blocked.

Google’s Changing Stance

According to Statista, Google’s revenue is largely made up of the advertisement services it provides (amounting to 264.59 billion U.S. dollars in 2024). Any change in its advertisement program policies draws significant attention due to its economic impact.

In 2019, Google claimed in a blog post that fingerprinting was a technique that “subverts user choice and is wrong.” It is in this context that the recent policy shift comes as a surprise. In response, the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office), the UK’s data privacy watchdog, has stated that this change is irresponsible. Google, however, is eager to have further discussions with the ICO regarding the policy change.

Conclusion

The debate regarding privacy in targeted advertising has been ongoing for quite some time. Concerns about digital data collection and storage have led to new and evolving laws that mandate strict fines for non-compliance.

Google’s shift in policy raises pressing concerns about user privacy and transparency. Fingerprinting, unlike cookies, offers no opt-out mechanism, leaving users vulnerable to continuous tracking without consent. This move contradicts Google’s previous stance and challenges global regulations like the GDPR and DPDP Act, which emphasize clear user consent.

With regulators like the ICO expressing disapproval, the debate between corporate profits and individual privacy intensifies. As digital footprints become harder to erase, users, lawmakers, and watchdogs must scrutinize such changes to ensure that innovation does not come at the cost of fundamental privacy rights

References

• https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/profit-over-privacy-google-gives-advertisers-more-personal-info-in-major-fingerprinting-u-turn
• https://www.ccn.com/news/technology/googles-new-fingerprinting-policy-sparks-privacy-backlash-as-ads-become-harder-to-avoid/
• https://www.emarketer.com/content/google-pivot-digital-fingerprinting-enable-better-cross-device-measurement
• https://www.lewissilkin.com/insights/2025/01/16/google-adopts-new-stance-on-device-fingerprinting-102ju7b
• https://www.lewissilkin.com/insights/2025/01/16/ico-consults-on-storage-and-access-cookies-guidance-102ju62
• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm21g0052dno 
• https://www.techradar.com/features/browser-fingerprinting-explained
• https://fingerprint.com/blog/canvas-fingerprinting/
• https://www.statista.com/statistics/266206/googles-annual-global-revenue/#:~:text=In%20the%20most%20recently%20reported,billion%20U.S.%20dollars%20in%202024

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The world of Artificial Intelligence is entering a new phase with the rise of Agentic AI, often described as the third wave of AI evolution. Unlike earlier systems that relied on static models (that learn from the information that is fed) and reactive outputs, Agentic AI introduces intelligent agents that can make decisions, take initiative, and act autonomously in real time. These systems are designed to require minimal human oversight while actively collaborating and learning continuously. Such capabilities indicate an incoming shift, especially in the ways in which Indian businesses can function. For better understanding, Agentic AI is capable of streamlining operations, personalising services, and driving innovations at scale.

India and Agentic AI

Building as we go, India is making continuous strides in the AI revolution- deliberating on government frameworks, and simultaneously adapting. At Microsoft's Pinnacle 2025 summit in Hyderabad, India's pivotal role in shaping the future of Agentic AI was brought to the spotlight. With over 17 million developers on GitHub and ambitions to become the world's largest developer community by 2028, India's tech talent is gearing up to lead global AI innovations. Microsoft's Azure AI Foundry, also highlighted the country's growing influence in the AI landscape.

Indian companies are actively integrating Agentic AI into their operations to enhance efficiency and customer experience. Zomato is leveraging AI agents to optimise delivery logistics, ensuring timely and efficient service. Infosys has developed AI-driven copilots to assist developers in code generation, reducing development time, requiring fewer people to work on a particular project, and improving software quality. 

As per a report by Deloitte, the Indian AI market is projected to grow potentially $20 billion by 2028. However, this is accompanied by significant challenges. 92% of Indian executives identify security concerns as the primary obstacle to responsible AI usage. Additionally, regulatory uncertainties and privacy risks associated with sensitive data were also highlighted.

Challenges in Adoption

Despite the enthusiasm, several barriers hinder the widespread adoption of Agentic AI in India:

• Skills Gap: While the AI workforce is expected to grow to 1.25 million by 2027, the current growth rate of 13% is considered to be insufficient with respect to the demands of the market. 
• Data Infrastructure: Effective AI systems require robust, structured, and accessible datasets. Many organisations lack the necessary data maturity, leading to flawed AI outputs and decision-making failures.
• Trust and Governance: Building trust in AI systems is crucial. Concerns over data privacy, ethical usage, and regulatory compliance require robust governance frameworks to ensure the adoption of AI in a responsible manner.
• Looming fear of job loss: As AI continues to take up more sophisticated roles, a general feeling of hesitancy with respect to the loss of employment/human labour might come in the way of adopting such measures.
• Outsourcing: Currently, most companies prefer outsourcing or buying AI solutions rather than building them in-house. This gives rise to the issue of adapting to evolving needs.

The Road Ahead

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To fully realise the potential of Agentic AI, India must address the following challenges :

• Training the Workforce: Initiatives and workshops tailored for employees that provide AI training can prove to be helpful. Some relevant examples are Microsoft’s commitment to provide AI training to 2 million individuals by 2025 and Infosys's in-house AI training programs.
• Data Readiness: Investing in modern data infrastructure and promoting data literacy are essential to improve data quality and accessibility.
• Establishing Governance Frameworks: Developing clear regulatory guidelines and ethical standards will foster trust and facilitate responsible AI adoption. Like the IndiaAI mission, efforts regarding evolving technology and keeping up with it are imperative.

Agentic AI holds unrealised potential to transform India's business landscape when coupled with innovation and a focus on quality that enhances global competitiveness. India is at a position where by proactively addressing the existing challenges, this potential can be realised and set the foundation for a new technological revolution (along with in-house development), solidifying its position as a global AI leader.

References

• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/artificial-intelligence/india-facing-shortage-of-agentic-ai-professionals-amid-surge-in-demand/articleshow/120651512.cms?from=mdr
• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/artificial-intelligence/india-a-global-leader-in-agentic-ai-adoption-deloitte-report/articleshow/119906474.cms?from=mdr
• https://inc42.com/features/from-zomato-to-infosys-why-indias-biggest-companies-are-betting-on-agentic-ai/
• https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/agentic-ai-next-big-leap-in-workplace-automation-101742548406693.html
• https://www.deloitte.com/in/en/about/press-room/india-rides-the-agentic-ai-wave.html
• https://www.businesstoday.in/tech-today/news/story/ais-next-chapter-starts-in-india-microsoft-champions-agentic-ai-at-pinnacle-2025-474286-2025-05-01
• https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/calm-before-ai-storm-a-moment-to-prepare-101746110985736.html‍
• https://www.financialexpress.com/life/technology/why-agentic-ai-is-the-next-big-thing/3828357/