At UN, India Raises Concern Over Use Of Weaponised Drones By Terrorists After Jammu Airbase Attack

Speaking at the second High-Level Conference of the Head of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of the Member States in the General Assembly, Mr. Kaumadi raised concerns over drones.

Security personnel stand guard outside IAF station in Jammu. (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: India has reminded the UN General Assembly that the danger of terrorists using weaponized drones to attack strategic and commercial assets demand serious consideration, a day after two explosives-laden drones crashed into an Indian Air Force (IAF) station at Jammu airport. 

"Today, misuse of information and communication technology such as internet and social media for terrorist propaganda, radicalisation and recruitment of cadre; misuse of new payment methods and crowdfunding platforms for financing of terrorism; and misuse of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes have emerged as the most serious threats of terrorism and will decide the counter-terrorism paradigm going forward," Special Secretary (Internal Security), Ministry of Home Affairs in the Government of India, V S K Kaumudi said. 

Speaking at the second High-Level Conference of the Head of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of the Member States in the General Assembly, Mr. Kaumadi raised concerns over drones. He said that because these drones are a low-cost and readily available option, terrorist groups have begun to use them for their nefarious purposes such as intelligence gathering, delivery of weapon/explosives, and targeted attacks are thus posing a serious threat and struggle to security agencies around the world. 

"The possibility of the use of weaponised drones for terrorist purposes against strategic and commercial assets calls for serious attention by the member states. We have witnessed terrorists using UAS to smuggle weapons across borders," VSK Kaumudi added. 

Kaumudi further highlighted India’s concern over how the internet and social media platforms are become assets in the toolkit of international terrorist organisations. 

He claimed that "indulging video games" to spread terrorist propaganda was a method terrorist groups used during the pandemic, thus suggesting that countries must take a multi-pronged strategy to combat global risks arising from the exploitation of new technologies, notably those aimed at terrorism and violent extremism favourable to terrorism.