India at UNSC highlights pros and cons of technology in maintaining international peace

Highlighting the pros and cons associated with the use of digital technology in reference to maintaining international peace and security, India at United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday briefed about how digital technology can play a major role in the good interests of nations and further can also be misused due to its dual-use nature. 

Speaking at the UNSC briefing on the use of digital technology in maintaining international peace and security, India's permanent representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti said that the increased use of digital technology has accelerated economic development, improved service delivery to citizens, generated greater social awareness, and further placed information and knowledge directly in individuals' hands. 

In addition to that, he also said that the use of digital technology has made governance more inclusive, citizen-centric, and transparent. "Most of the activities in this digital age - political, social, economic, humanitarian, and developmental, all are now variably conducted in cyberspace", he added. 

On the contrary, speaking on the harmful impact of such technology, Tirumurti further added that the dual-use nature and susceptibility to harmful uses by both state and non-state actors can also have a negative impact on international peace and security. 

"The nature of conflicts and its underlying tools have transformed tremendously while interstate conflicts still continue where threats have been increasing from nonstate actors including terrorist groups. Knowledge has now become a common underlying denominator as well as a game-changer in this conflicts", he added. 

TS Tirumurti outlines key issues for UNSC consideration 

Highlighting both sides of digital technology, the Indian envoy to the UN further said that as a conventional approach to such activities, there is a need to reset following which he submitted four issues for the council's consideration in view of these concerns. Out of the four issues, Tirumurti majorly focused on the misusing of technology by terrorist outfits. 

"The need for addressing the abusive use of technology by terrorist groups for spreading terrorist ideologies, radicalising, inciting violence, and for taking the advantage of the online presence of young people," he said further adding that the emergence of new financial technology such as new payment methods, virtual currency, online funding methods including direct donations non-fungible tokens, crowdfunding platforms and the transparency provided by them has enabled terrorists to easily access funding for their activities.

Pointing out one more issue, he stated that there is a need for member nations to comprehensively address and tackle the implications of terrorist exploitation as digital technology is more strategically has never been direr. 

Tirumurti also underlined that the UN peacekeeping missions must be equipped with the latest technology for providing protection to the protectors as it is important for them to protect the civilians. 

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