'Everything is being weaponised': Jaishankar on data, oil, technology & Europe's 'Oxygen'

The escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war has been a matter of discussion at the tables of all international dialogue among world leaders. On Tuesday, India's Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar said that the “war has sucked up the oxygen in Europe”. Jaishankar was attending a Global Technology Summit 2022, where he touched upon the Russia Ukraine war, Indo - Pacific Economic Framework, and other poignant matters. 

Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine war, Jaishankar asserted that the war “has sucked up oxygen in Europe”, expressing his hopes of meeting with his European counterparts soon. He said, “The Ukraine war has sucked up the oxygen in Europe. We will hopefully be doing our meeting in some more time”. This assertion from the Indian Minister of External Affairs came after Jaishankar claimed that “India does not always align with the west.” On Friday, the EAM talked about the West frowning upon India’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war and emphasized that the West “must live with India’s stance”. 

“Everything is being weaponised in this world of ours”: Jaishankar 

The Russia-Ukraine war was not the only matter of discussion at the Global Technology Summit which Jaishankar attended on Friday. The External Affairs Minister also talked about the need for data security and India’s engagement in Indo Pacific Economic Framework. Jaishankar talked about how data has become a matter of “national security”, he emphasized that everything can be “weaponised in the world”. Jaishankar said, “Where our data is going is no longer matter of business & economics but of national security. Everything is being weaponised in this world of ours, I have to change my approach of where I should be protective of my interests.”

Jaishankar said, "The belief that there’s that tough world which is a 'national security world' and there is this nice world where 'market economics'… it would be business as usual, I think that belief has collapsed. Our actions for example, regarding apps in 2020, were actually driven by a concern about where is our data going. As I said where our data going is no longer a matter of business and economics, it is a matter of national security, everything is being weaponised in our world of ours, so I have to change my approach to the extent of where I should be protective about my interest. I have to define my protective zone in a much broader sense."

"We have to stop pretending that there is something neutral about technology. Technology is no more neutral than economics or any other activity. Data is the new oil. The fact is more and more things are technologically driven and we need to understand the very strong political connotations which are inbuilt really into technology."

Jaishankar then went on to talk about India’s engagement in discussions with IPEF and QUAD. He made it clear that the US has been “upfront” regarding Indo Pacific Economic Framework. Jaishankar said, “We've started engagement on Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. The US has been upfront on it. There is big technology & supply chain element to it. You've IPEF and Quad and a lot of bilateral discussions with different partners & big debates going on in our own country.”