The governments of India and Australia are currently in the preliminary stages of discussion regarding a possible sharing of real-time information in order to combat cyber crimes, driven by concerns over increasing cyber attacks from countries such as North Korea on critical infrastructure like power grids and medical facilities.

The potential sharing of data to combat cybercrime is something both countries are developing an interest in a bilateral treaty for, Brendan Dowling, ambassador for cyber affairs and critical technologies in Australia’s department of foreign affairs and trade, told Mint.

MLAT, mutual legal assistance treaty, is a key mechanism for cross-border sharing of information between countries - where either party may have a wish to pursue legal remedies based on a crime. However, information sharing through these treaties and things like MLAT is not speedy, and can take several years.

“The current MLAT process is not smooth and impedes our ability to cooperate. Bilaterally, there’s room to improve. There have been conversations between India and Australia to set up a bilateral cyber security-driven data sharing agreement,” Dowling said.

 “Conceptually, both countries agree upon the need for it - what hasn’t happened is a framework to make this happen, though the intent is there.”