The recent political crisis between India and China precipitated by the clashes on the disputed border between the two states which saw 20 Indian soldiers killed in June, and an unidentified number of Chinese casualties, has brought forward technology as a premier focus of realignment of bilateral relations between the two Asian nuclear and economic powers. Over the past few months, India has banned dozens of Chinese apps, launching a wave of indigenously developed alternatives taking on users by the millions in a short period of time.
However, the fast-paced acceleration of indigenous consumer digital technology in India in light of the crisis with China requires deliberation on not just security with regard to data, technologies, IPR and so on, but usage of these platforms itself, building a robust ecosystem where non-state armed groups, such as Islamic State (IS) and others, who have developed successes in both propaganda and radicalisation are unable to easily migrate. Smaller technology platforms largely based out of the West have slowly yet steadily recognised the threat of being misused by radical groups from all backgrounds and ideologies in not just messaging and propaganda, but terror finance, recruitment and other aspects as well.
Read more at the Global Network on Extremism & Technology
