The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) is a German political foundation with a strong presence throughout Germany and all over the world. With more than 80 offices abroad and projects in over 120 countries, KAS makes a unique contribution to the promotion of democracy, the rule of law and a social market economy. With its worldwide networks of political, economic and social leaders and with its longterm partner structures, it participates in shaping policy in developing and emerging countries.

India was one of the first countries in Asia in where KAS started its activities and 2018 marks a successful completion of 50 years of international cooperation with India.

KAS cooperates with governmental institutions, political parties and civil society organizations building strong partnerships along the way. In particular KAS seeks to intensify political cooperation and dialogues at the national and international levels based on the foundations of its objectives and values. Together with our partners, KAS contributes to the creation of an international order that enables every country to develop in freedom and under its own responsibility.

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung has organized its program priorities in India into five working areas:

• Foreign and Security Policy
• Economic and Energy Policy
• Rule of Law
• Social and Political Change
• Training programmes for students of journalism.

Currently, the Resident Representative of KAS to India is Mr. Peter Rimmele.

A future world dominated by cyberspace is being shaped before our eyes. It has already influenced and redefined many vital concerns of humankind — from defence and security to the environment to health to social life.

Its algorithms will in time accurately predict what is to come; based on data from the past and present, to hopefully enhance the quality of life.

It is indeed a 'Fifth Frontier' — laying down the contours and content of a world order that was previously determined by dominance of land, water, air and space. Analysing this 'Fifth Frontier' — with its threats and opportunities — will form the substance of this conference.

On this frontier will wars be fought and peace won, using technological advancements to build equitable economic prosperity and environmental sustainability.

In fact, the potential for good and evil is a challenge and opportunity confronting humanity, as it's leaders and influencers come to terms with cyberspace.

The distancing of human, physical engagement in war-fighting and in penetrating personal privacies will probably deepen the divide between the developed and developing world, even as they raise grave concerns over widely cherished principles of privacy.

That these advancements over cyberspace will emphatically impact and alter human behaviour seems certain. It could also result in a new and frightening Cold War, spearheaded by both old and new antagonists.

The Cyber conflicts — already raging in low intensity — have the potential to flare into horrific wars that cause suffering on a far greater scale than conventional weapons when critical infrastructure is penetrated.

The threat of nuclear war may even be overshadowed by potential attacks on critical national infrastructure, from energy to telecom to health, with equally, if not greater devastating consequences.

Cyber-defensive and cyber-offensive abilities will come to define the great military powers.

Cyberspace's accessibility has indeed opened the floodgates to the involvement of state and non-state actors, including corporates and individuals.

Both hacktivist and terrorist will find voice in this space.

This has thrown up dilemmas that include bridging the gulf between cyberspace's open and secure forms, traditional notions of sovereignty in evolving global rules of engagement, digital democracy and diplomacy, protecting data, enforcing legal protocols and upholding ethical values.

Amidst the globalisation of information, cyberspace itself faces several technological challenges, ranging from innovations in theory and in application.

This conference will discuss the possible transition from the traditional to a new global cyberspace, whose characteristics are openness, heterogeneity, mobility, dynamism, and security.

The realisation is dawning that of cyberspace security is a high priority.

Compared with traditional network security, future cyberspace security will have to consider the obsolescence of traditional static methods based on known threat characteristics in order to effectively defend against novel forms.