Jaishankar asserts data & technology strengthen democracies, 'hugely helpful' amid COVID

At a virtual panel discussion on Friday, Nov. 19 at the Sydney Dialogue, a forum for emerging, critical and cyber technologies, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised how advanced technology makes an "amazing impact" on the overall quality of the governance. Speaking at the "Democracies and Global Technology Governance” panel discussion, he stressed that data and technology strengthen democracies and is "hugely helpful”, especially amid COVID-19.

"Through the entire COVID period, we were able to do financial transfers and even food support to literally hundreds of millions of people because of technology platforms. We vaccinated more than a billion people,” India’s EAM Jaishankar said.

"We can pull out for you literally region by region, block by block, village by village, maybe even street by the street, you will know who is vaccinated and when is their second shot due," he added.

The EAM highlighted the impact of the technology and data platforms throughout the COVID-19 pandemic that kept the businesses operational and enhanced the governance. He stressed, "What it (technology) has done, is it had absolutely amazing impact on the quality of governance.” He acknowledged that technology "is something that has been hugely helpful”. "So I do want to make the point that the technology platforms have actually strengthened democracies," he added.

Jaishankar also noted that the new digital space and data world cannot be run on the "19th-century principle of capitalism,” highlighting the emerging needs to regulate it. "If we are to do well, then it is important that democratic societies find the right balance because, at the end of the day, democracy will advance when it is clear that democracy delivers," said Jaishankar. "We cannot have a tech world or a data world essentially run on the 19th-century principle of capitalism," he went on to add.

According to India’s External Affairs Minister, on one hand, citizens need freedom, openness, flow of information, while on the other hand “here has to be basic regulations, a sense of equity and a sense of fairness.” He then warned that data pillaging cannot be the basis for global business.

PM Modi calls technology and data 'new weapons' that are 'biggest strength of democracy'

In his keynote address at the inaugural Sydney Dialogue summit virtually, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged that the digital age has brought transformation in "everything we see around us," and has redefined politics, economy, and society. He stressed that the digital infrastructure and rapid advancement of technology have "reshaped" international competition, power, and leadership, effectively moulding the concepts of sovereignty, governance, ethics, law, rights, and security.

While the Prime Minister brought focus on how digital and cyberspace has ushered in a new era of opportunities for progress and prosperity, he also laid emphasis on the "new risks and diverse threats" that have emerged from across the sea-bed to cyber to space. PM Modi stressed the importance of resilience and digital sovereignty, as he emphasised that India has a robust framework of data protection, privacy and security in place to counter the challenges faced in the digital age.