Statement by India at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, under Item 3 (e) on Human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain delivered by Mr. Kshitij Tyagi, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India, Geneva, 20 February 2024 Statement by India at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, under Item 3 ..
  • Home > 2024 > Statement by India at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, under Item 3 (e) on Human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain delivered by Mr. Kshitij Tyagi, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India, Geneva, 20 February 2024

Statement by India at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, under Item 3 (e) on Human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain delivered by Mr. Kshitij Tyagi, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India, Geneva, 20 February 2024

Statement by India at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, under Item 3 (e) on Human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain delivered by Mr. Kshitij Tyagi, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India, Geneva

20 February 2024

Thank you, Chair, 

  1. We thank the Advisory Committee for its efforts at providing comprehensive research-based advice to the Council, which has enriched the Council's work, allowing for a more holistic consideration of contemporary and emerging human rights issues. The Committee's independent expertise has been a force multiplier in bringing a wide range of human rights issues to the Council's attention. 
  1. However, on the subject of new and emerging technologies in the military domain, we would like to reiterate our concern that we had voiced during the 51st Session of the Council. We feel that the scope of this subject is too broad and many of the aspects, including human control, need to be appropriately deliberated on at the appropriate forum i.e. Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. While we appreciate the concerns related to impact of these technologies, it is international humanitarian law, and not the law of human rights, that is applicable to the military domain. Within the military domain, international humanitarian law finds the balance between humanitarian imperative and military necessity, and therefore this is a subject suited to be discussed at specialized fora such as the CCW. The subject under consideration has been under discussion within the framework of CCW through a Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems and is extraneous to the mandate of the Human Rights Council. The duplication of discussions that are already ongoing at CCW would not do justice to the objectives of the Council, and would also be detrimental to the efforts by experts, which are already under way, to address this complex issue. 
  1. This is a highly technical subject involving emerging technologies which are themselves evolving rapidly. These technologies have beneficial uses as well and should not be stigmatized. We understand that there are legitimate concerns about regulation of these technologies. However, this is a subject that has been under discussion through multiple processes, by multiple stakeholders in plurilateral and multilateral fora, and in both civilian and military domains. Human Rights deliberations should not prejudge the outcomes of these discussions. We would request the Advisory Committee to keep this in view while preparing its study on the subject.

Thank you.