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India – US to increase cooperation in cyber R&D to combat cyber crimes
NEW DELHI: India and the United States have agreed to improve cooperation among technical, law enforcement, cyber research and development, and capacity building.
Both countries have supported an open, inclusive, transparent, and multi-stakeholder system of internet governance. They have planned to work together to promote cyber security, combat cyber-crime, and advance norms of responsible state behavior in cyberspace.
This was stated in a joint statement after External Affairs Minister and Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met US Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker for the first US – India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue held in Washington yesterday.
Both sides commended the resumption of the US-India Cyber Dialogue. The Sides welcomed the decision to convene a Track 1.5 programme to further cooperation on internet and cyber issues and contribute to the goals of Digital India initiative.
In the first meeting of the US – India Information and Communication Technology Working Group US presented a draft work plan to facilitate collaboration and development in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Digital India” initiative.
The joint statement renewed the US-India Technology Safeguards Agreement to facilitate the launch of US satellite components on Indian space launch vehicles.
The statement also referred to outer space collaboration and noted the launch of a new Space Security Dialogue in March 2015 and the exchange of technical data from both countries’ national Mars orbiters, and upcoming Civil Space Joint Working Group in Bangalore.
The US side applauded India’s proposal to launch a satellite for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in order to expand information sharing and connectivity within the SAARC region.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
