Union Home Minister Amit Shah. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday (December 23, 2024) that “divisive forces are still active in the country today” emphasising that disinformation, misinformation, malinformation, and fake news had the power to disrupt the social fabric of the society with the help of new technology.
The Minister spoke on the need to develop an intelligence coordination strategy with friendly nations to detect anti-India organisations and networks, and this strategy “must include offensive measures as well.” He mentioned that merely sharing information was not enough and it should be ensured that vital intelligence was received from those nations as well.
He also highlighted the need to take prompt and decisive action against hoax calls and fake emails, as enemies of the country were successfully creating an atmosphere of fear and terror among the public through these means.
The Home Minister also highlighted the need to build a robust ecosystem to counter misinformation. He stressed that to reduce the spread of propaganda to zero, the country should have “strategy, technology, and readiness in place.”
The Minister said that a country where social unity did not exist could not progress in any meaningful way. He added that the responsibility of addressing these challenges and preparing the entire police force to tackle them now lay with the country’s information warriors (Intelligence Bureau).
Mr. Shah delivered the 37th Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment Lecture on Monday (December 23, 2024).
Intensified challenges
He noted that attacks on critical infrastructure, cyberattacks, information warfare, psychological warfare, chemical warfare, and the radicalisation of youth had emerged as intensified challenges.
He pointed out that challenges such as using misinformation to provoke separatism, communal riots, drug trade via social media, cyber espionage, and cryptocurrency-related issues had now emerged as unique challenges, a statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said. Mr. Shah said that in order to tackle such challenges, the intelligence agency must adopt with new methods, stepping beyond traditional approaches.
He said that to realise the vision of a developed India, the IB must prepare itself to become a cutting-edge intelligence agency. Mr. Shah emphasised that young officers must step forward to achieve this goal. He explained that the success of any security agency was based on its workforce and its ability to train its personnel.
The Home Minister said that simply being alert to anti-national elements causing physical damage was no longer sufficient. “In today’s context, the meaning of vigilance must evolve…information and data are powerful tools for development, and we must protect them by making radical changes to our traditional methods, modes, and mechanisms. In the coming days, the responsibility of preparing and equipping the Intelligence Bureau with the necessary technology will fall on young officers,” Mr. Shah said.
He stated that security was no longer just about the protection of borders and citizens and the definition should be expanded to include new dimensions. He pointed out that with just one click of a computer, any country’s critical and digital infrastructure could be damaged.
Published – December 23, 2024 09:49 pm IST