PM Modi calls on world community to ensure digital space doesn’t become playground for terrorism, radicalisation

Highlighting the importance of cyberspace in the present day context, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called on nations to take responsibility to ensure that “the digital space does not become a playground for the dark forces of terrorism and radicalisation”.
While inaugurating the fifth edition of the Global Conference on Cyber Space or GCCS in the national capital, PM Modi said the world community needs to ensure that vulnerable sections of our society do not fall prey to the evil designs of cyber criminals. “Alertness towards cyber-security concerns should become a way of life.”
“The global community needs to approach the issue of cybersecurity with confidence, as much as with resolve. Cyber-space technologies must remain an enabler for our people,” he said. The prime minister also underlined how cyber-space transformed the world over the last few decades.
“We all know how cyber-space has transformed the world over the last few decades.The senior generation would recall the bulky mainframe computer systems of the 70s and 80s. A lot has changed since then. Email and personal computers brought about a new revolution in the nineties.This was followed by the advent of social media and the mobile phone as an important vehicle of data storage and communication,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi also heaped praise on the technological advancement made by India in the IT sector and said: “Indian IT talent has been recognized worldwide. Indian IT companies have made a name for themselves globally. Today, digital technology has emerged as a great enabler. It has paved the way for efficient service delivery and governance. It is improving access, in domains from education to health.”
He also used the occasion to highlight how the government was using the digital platform for the development of the people of the country.
“We. in India, give primacy to the human face of technology and are using it to improve what I call, ‘ease of living’. We are using mobile power or M-power to empower our citizens. Through better targeting of subsidies, the JAM trinity has prevented leakages to the tune of nearly ten billion dollars so far digital technology is contributing to more farm incomes.”
“A small entrepreneur can register on Government e-Marketplace & bid competitively for the supply of goods to Government. Pensioners no longer need to present themselves in front of a bank officer to provide proof of life. Citizens of India are increasingly adopting cashless transactions,” he added.
Incepted in 2011 in London, the second GCCS was held in 2012 in Budapest with focus on the relationship between internet rights and internet security, which was attended by 700 delegates from nearly 60 countries. The third edition of GCCS was held in 2013 in Seoul with the commitment to Open and Secure Cyberspace. The fourth version GCCS 2015 was held on April 16-17, 2015 in The Hague, Netherlands which saw participation from 97 countries.
Themed on Cyber4All: A Secure and Inclusive Cyberspace for Sustainable Development, this is the fifth edition of GCCS wherein international leaders, policymakers, industry experts, think tanks and cyber experts will gather to deliberate on issues and challenges for optimally using cyberspace.
GCCS 2017 in India is the biggest ever cyber event of its kind. Including about 35 run-up events, more than 10000 delegates from more than 123 countries are expected to participate in person.