AUGUST 8, 2020
India’s external affairs minister on Saturday termed technology as “new parameter” to measure “power and influence” while adding that it can never be “politically neutral”.
“Today there are new parameters and technology is certainly one of them because what they do is they create relationships, in some case dependencies, convergencies…technology has never been politically neutral, how one approaches it. At the end of the day there is so much interpenetration at one level and yet so much divisiveness and how you straddled that,” he said.
The statement comes amidst a global backlash by many countries on Chinese tech companies and apps. India in the aftermath of Galwan violent face-off 15th June banned 59 Chinese apps including popular Tik Tok.
Countries are taking a position on Chinese technology firms and just last week US President Donald Trump issued orders banning Tik Tok and WeChat. Globally concerns and actions are being taken by countries like UK, the US, Canada and others on 5G by Chinese company Huawei.
EAM speaking at the CII virtual event said, “We think technology is capability, but it is hugely security”
Earlier this year, the ministry of external affairs announced the establishment of New, Emerging and Strategic Technologies (NEST) Division to evaluate decisions on technology.
Courtesy/Source:WION
