Sri Lanka should be ready for Cyber-Warfare - Subramanian Swamy

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka may be a small island compared to China, Russia, the US or India, yet if Sri Lanka develops expertise, the country would be equal to all other countries when it comes to cyber-warfare, said BJP strongman Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday (13).

There is no such thing called a 'Big Country' or a 'Small Country' in the new domain & new structure of national security, especially when it comes to cyber-warfare, he said.

He said if Sri Lanka takes on the determination to be a cyberwar capable country in the next 15 years, Sir Lanka will become one of the world powers.

'The problem with cyber warfare is, you just don't know where they are. Today, if a rocket is fired you can track it. But, in cyber warfare you have absolutely no idea until someone claims responsibility for it," said the BJP MP adding there is no longer a frontline or captured territory in cyber-warfare.

Sri Lanka must have an objective to develop cyber tools and use it for its defense, he said.

Subramanian Swamy said that China was responsible for the March 2021, two-hour blackout in Bombay (Mumbai).

"Don't push us too hard, or the lights will go out again, was the Chinese announcement," said Subramanian Swamy.

As a priority, Sri Lanka must have cyber security, with its new area on currency as well, as currency like Bitcoin have made governments irrelevant, he said.

"When it comes to cyber currency, there is no way that a government can control it. Yet, people have already started making billions from it. That capacity of its misuse is enormous," he added noting that it is the same with cyber technology, where if it falls into the hands of a terrorist, there will be no way of knowing where they are attacking from.

The education you get should be more oriented toward learning about cyber warfare, said Subramanian Swamy.

"We need to give up the concept of Big-Strong nations, Global Powers, and so on. These wars may be bilateral. But multilateral wars with cyber-warfare will mean the end of the earth," he added, noting there will be no way to save the earth, though we survived during World War 1 and 2.

"World War 3 will be the last war we will ever be fighting if it happens," he warned.

Countries must get together and pool resources to develop each other's cyber warfare capabilities or intelligence capability including education, he added.

"A Prime Minister should not be a person who does not understand cyber warfare. He needs to be well aware," he said commenting on global leadership, adding future politicians must also be aware.

Subramanian Swamy, an economist, said if Sri Lanka makes the correct economic policies, the resources will not be a problem.

Sri Lanka must be cyber technology savvy to survive as a nation, or you will be at the mercy of those who are, said the BJP Strongman.

"I don't think the 21st Century Security should worry you. We are potentially able to develop a system that is superior to everybody else," he remarked.

"I think the civil society needs to be educated in the essentials of the army," he noted while adding that the present-day military has also become cyber dependent.