Sitharaman flags weaponisation of tech, bats for using it for global good

Mumbai, Oct 7 (PTI) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday pitched for using technology for public good, while expressing her disappointment at "weaponising" the advancements at the global level.

The finance minister asserted India is a global fintech leader, which has set benchmarks in innovation, scale and inclusion.

"...the simple motive is that it (technology) should be for the public good. And at no point of time it gets weaponised," she said, while speaking at the annual Global Fintech Fest here.

"It is important to constantly remind ourselves that technology cannot be in that sense truly mastered, but having obtained certain propriety, rights over some part of it, we should refrain from weaponising it," she added.

Sitharaman said we have "constantly" seen instances of inward looking attitudes along with technology advancements.

The idea of "global progress itself gets questioned because of weaponising it", the FM added.

She, however, did not elaborate further or offer any specific instances that led her make the remarks.

The comments come at a time when several countries have taken measures, resulting into restrictions in trade and innovations.

The US, the world's largest economy and also a technology powerhouse, has made major shifts in its trade policies.

At present, India is negotiating a trade agreement with the US, which has chosen to slap high tariffs on Indian goods and also steeply hiked fees for H1B visa. A bulk of the H1B visas are secured by Indian tech workers. PTI AA HVA