Terror footprint in cyberspace disturbing, says Arun Jaitley

New Delhi: Union defence minister Arun Jaitley said on Thursday the increasing use of cyberspace by terror elements has posed a major national security challenge for many countries.

Speaking at the sixth conference on International Security in Moscow, Mr Jaitley said: “Terrorism is being reinvented in newer and even more dangerous manifestations. The manipulation of young minds by fundamentalist groups using new technologies and social media has already caused long-term damage to our societies. One manifestation of this is the recent string of lone-wolf attacks in many countries,” he said.

The minister’s statement came amid the disturbances in Kashmir, which the Indian authorities believe are fanned through social media. On Wednesday, the Jammu and Kashmir government ordered suspension of internet services in the valley for one month or till further orders.

Without naming Pakistan, the defence minister said the “opportunistic efforts” by some nations “to support terrorist proxies by training, funding or providing safe havens to such groups for their limited objectives” should be strongly resisted.

Speaking on the dangers posed by radical Islamist fighters coming back home from the conflict-torn West Asia, Mr Jaitley said: “Even as we work to eliminate the breeding grounds of terrorism in West Asia, the dangers of such elements returning to their home countries have become a major challenge. We need to encourage closer information exchanges and intelligence cooperation to address this threat.”

On Indo-Russia ties, Mr Jaitley said: “India and Russia share a special strategic partnership, which has stood the test of time. Our cooperation in defence and security has been robust. Russia is India’s foremost defence partner.”

On the changing global power equations, he said: “The continued unpredictability in ties between major powers has brought new uncertainties to the fore. These reflect a wider diffusion of power in the international system, which by itself is a positive development.” He added that Europe is witnessing a sharpening of divisions in the continent not seen since the Cold War.

Making a very significant point, Jaitley said: “Building on our strong ties with Russia, we also hope to steadily enhance our linkages with Central Asian countries.”

Later this year, Indian and Russian armed forces will hold the INDRA tri-services joint military exercises in Russia. This would be a historic occasion as it will be the first time that India and Russia are taking part in joint exercises in such a format with each other or with any other country.

Earlier in the day, India’s defence minister also had held meetings with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu and the Brazilian Defence Minister Paul Belens Jungman Pinto on the sidelens of the security meet.