'Use of drones for terrorism needs serious attention': India raises Jammu drone attack at UN

Geneva, June 30: India at United Nations called upon for serious attention to the use of weaponized drones for terrorism or terrorist activities against strategic and commercial assets. This comes after several drones were spotted in Jammu along with a drone attack taking place at Jammu airbase on Sunday morning.

 

 

Special Secretary (Internal Security), Ministry of Home Affairs in the Government of India, V S K Kaumudi said on Tuesday, “Today, misuse of information and communication technology such as internet and social media for terrorist propaganda, radicalization, and recruitment of cadre; misuse of new payment methods and crowdfunding platforms for the financing of terrorism; and misuse of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes have emerged as the most serious threats of terrorism and will decide the counter-terrorism paradigm going forward."

 

 

The statements were made at the second High Level Conference of the Head of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of the Member States in the General Assembly. Raising concerns over the usage of drones, he said, "Being a low-cost option and easily available, utilisation of these aerial/sub-surface platforms for sinister purposes by terrorist groups such as intelligence collection, weapon/explosives delivery and targeted attacks have become an imminent danger and challenge for security agencies worldwide."

 

"The possibility of the use of weaponised drones for terrorist purposes against strategic and commercial assets calls for serious attention by the member states. We have witnessed terrorists using UAS to smuggle weapons across borders," Kaumudi said, as per his statement issued by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN. 

 

 

On Sunday morning, two blasts were carried out by drones in the technical area of Jammu Air Force Station. One of the blasts caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area. Another drone was spotted and the troops successfully thwarted two drone activities near Ratnuchak-Kaluchak Military Station along the Jammu-Pathankot national highway. It should be noted that five drone activities took place since Sunday.