Expressing concern at United Nations (UN) over information and communication technology misuse for terrorist propaganda and radicalisation, India called on the attention of the UN member states on the possibility of weaponised drones for terrorist purposes on Monday. India also slammed Pakistan for spreading false narratives and making baseless allegations against it.
VSK Kaumudi, Special Secretary (Internal Security), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), while speaking at a UN high-level conference of heads of counter-terrorism agencies, said, “Being a low-cost option and easily available, utilisation of these aerial/sub-surface platforms for sinister purposes by terrorist groups such as intelligence collection, weapon/explosives delivery and targeted attacks have become an imminent danger and challenge for security agencies worldwide.”
“The possibility of the use of weaponised drones for terrorist purposes against strategic and commercial assets calls for serious attention by the member states,” he added.
Kaumudi also slammed a vitriolic diatribe by the Pakistan delegation, accusing it of “peddling false narratives and making baseless allegations against India”.
“For a nation that engages in sectarian violence against its own minorities and harbours a deep sense of insecurity and orchestrated hatred for India, there is nothing new that we could have expected from this delegation. 7th review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (GCTS) is over and Pakistan’s false narrative was summarily negated by the UN membership,” he said.
He added that the international community should call upon Pakistan to take effective, verifiable and irreversible actions against terror outfits operating on the territory under its control and not take the high road of morality which is only laden with mines of falsehood.
“Covid-19 and the subsequent isolation has further accentuated the impact of the internet on people making them vulnerable to radicalisation and recruitment by terrorist groups. Spreading terrorist propaganda through the use of “indulging video games” is another strategy that was deployed by terrorist groups during the pandemic,” Kaumudi said.
The Secretary also suggested a multipronged approach to tackle the global threats emanating out of misuse of new technologies particularly aiming towards terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism. “The transborder nature of this threat calls for collective and unified action by the international community, without any excuse or exceptions, ensuring that those countries which provide safe havens to terrorists should be called out and held accountable,” he said.
He also mentioned that India has put in place an elaborate CT and security architecture besides introducing a series of measures in the cyber-space encapsulating counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation strategies. “The Government of India stands fully committed to the fight against terrorism and has been fully supportive of the United Nations efforts in this regard,” he remarked.