Challenges of Technology Ethics and Cybersecurity (A Defence Studies Perspective)

Since 1947, India’s transformation from a newly independent state into a digitally enabled, globally connected power has been accelerated by the adoption of information technologies in governance, finance, defence, and critical infrastructure. This transformation has produced undeniable developmental gains—digital public services, economic modernization, and enhanced national capacity—but it has also expanded India’s cyber-attack surface and intensified ethical dilemmas around surveillance, privacy, data governance, and military–civil fusion. This paper examines the twin challenge of technology ethics and cybersecurity through a Defence Studies lens. It argues that cyber threats today function as a “grey-zone” instrument that can degrade national resilience without triggering conventional war thresholds. The study maps India’s legal-policy frameworks (IT Act, CERT-In directions, National Cyber Security Policy, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act), identifies ethical fault-lines (consent, proportionality, accountability, and civilian protection), and analyses security priorities such as critical information infrastructure protection, incident reporting, and supply-chain security. Finally, it proposes a defence-ready roadmap that integrates “security-by-design” with rights-based safeguards and accountable governance.