Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Girish Chandra Murmu, has called for global cooperation to combat cyber security threats to auditing. He also said that governments need to collaborate with private sector partners to improve cyber security. 

Murmu was addressing delegates on the opening day of the 6th meeting of the heads of Supreme Audit Institutes (SAIs) of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states in Lucknow on Monday.

He noted that the adoption of information technology in the public sector has brought concerns related to cyber security to the forefront. Therefore, it has become imperative for SAIs to develop adequate capacity to audit cyber security issues.

Murmu informed that SAI India, that is, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) is utilising artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in the audit process. He said that this allowed for a more efficient and effective approach to the process and could improve the overall quality of the audit.

Speaking on the occasion, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel said the SAI leaders’ meeting offered a platform to the SCO member states to share their experiences and the best practices to protect against cyber threats, further improve the quality of auditing and promote greater transparency in the audit process.

According to reports, out of the eight SCO member states, the heads and delegations of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) from four countries -- Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan -- are taking part in the three-day multilateral event.

Girish Chandra Murmu led the discussions on the theme 'Integrating Emerging Technologies in Audit'. The delegates are expected to hold discussions and share experiences on artificial intelligence and cyber security as well as concerns of digital technology.