Introduction and Brief Analysis

A movie named “The Artifice Girl” portrayed A law enforcement agency developing an AI-based personification of a 12-year-old girl who appears to be exactly like a real person. Believing her to be an actual girl, perpetrators of child sexual exploitation were caught attempting to seek sexual favours. The movie showed how AI aided law enforcement, but the reality is that the emergence of Artificial Intelligence has posed numerous challenges in multiple directions. This example illustrates both the promise and the complexity of using AI in sensitive areas like law enforcement, where technological innovation must be carefully balanced with ethical and legal considerations.

Detection and Protection tools are constantly competing with technologies that generate content, automate grooming and challenge legal boundaries. Such technological advancements have provided enough ground for the proliferation of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM). Also known as child pornography under Section 2 (da) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, it defined it as - “means any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a child which includes a photograph, video, digital or computer-generated image indistinguishable from an actual child and image created, adapted, or modified, but appears to depict a child.”

Artificial Intelligence is a category of technologies that attempt to shape human thoughts and behaviours using input algorithms and datasets. Two Primary applications can be considered in the context of CSEAM: classifiers and content generators. Classifiers are programs that learn from large data sets, which may be labelled or unlabelled and further classify what is restricted or illegal. Whereas generative AI is also trained on large datasets, it uses that knowledge to create new things. Majority of current AI research related to AI for CSEAM is done by the use of Artificial neural networks (ANNs), a type of AI that can be trained to identify unusual connections between items (classification) and to generate unique combinations of items (e.g., elements of a picture) based on the training data used.

Current Legal Landscape

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The legal Landscape in terms of AI is yet unclear and evolving, with different nations trying to track the evolution of AI and develop laws. However, some laws directly address CSEAM. The International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) combats Illegal sexual content involving children. They have a “Model Legislation” for setting recommended sanctions/sentencing. According to research performed in 2018, Illegal sexual content involving children is illegal in 118 of the 196 Interpol member states. This figure represents countries that have sufficient legislation in place to meet 4 or 5 of the 5 criteria defined by the ICMEC.

CSEAM in India can be reported on various portals like the ‘National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal’. Online crimes related to children, including CSEAM, can be reported to this portal by visiting cybercrime.gov.in. This portal allows anonymous reporting, automatic FIR registration and tracking of your complaint. ‘I4C Sahyog Portal’ is another platform managed by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). This portal integrates with social media platforms.

The Indian legal front for AI is evolving and CSEAM is well addressed in Indian laws and through judicial pronouncements. The Supreme Court judgement on Alliance and Anr v S Harish and ors is a landmark in this regard. The following principles were highlighted in this judgment.

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• The term “child pornography” should be substituted by “Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material” (CSEAM) and shall not be used for any further judicial proceeding, order, or judgment. Also, parliament should amend the same in POCSO and instead, the term CSEAM should be endorsed.
• Parliament to consider amending Section 15 (1) of POCSO to make it more convenient for the general public to report by way of an online portal.
• Implementing sex education programs to give young people a clear understanding of consent and the consequences of exploitation. To help prevent Problematic sexual behaviour (PSB), schools should teach students about consent, healthy relationships and appropriate behaviour.
• Support services to the victims and rehabilitation programs for the offenders are essential.
• Early identification of at-risk individuals and implementation of intervention strategies for youth.

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Distinctive Challenges

According to a report by the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), a significant number of reports about child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) are linked to perpetrators based outside the country. This highlights major challenges related to jurisdiction and anonymity in addressing such crimes. Since the issue concerns children and considering the cross-border nature of the internet and the emergence of AI, Nations across the globe need to come together to solve this matter. Delays in the extradition procedure and irregular legal processes across the jurisdictions hinder the apprehension of offenders and the delivery of justice to victims.

CyberPeace Recommendations

For effective regulation of AI-generated CSEAM, laws are required to be strengthened for AI developers and trainers to prevent misuse of their tools. AI should be designed with its ethical considerations, ensuring respect for privacy, consent and child rights. There can be a self-regulation mechanism for AI models to recognise and restrict red flags related to CSEAM and indicate grooming or potential abuse.

A distinct Indian CSEAM reporting portal is urgently needed, as cybercrimes are increasing throughout the nation. Depending on the integrated portal may lead to ignorance of AI-based CSEAM cases. This would result in faster response and focused tracking. Since AI-generated content is detectable. The portal should also include an automated AI-content detection system linked directly to law enforcement for swift action.

Furthermore, International cooperation is of utmost importance to win the battle of AI-enabled challenges and to fill the jurisdictional gaps. A united global effort is required. Using a common technology and unified international laws is essential to tackle AI-driven child sexual exploitation across borders and protect children everywhere. CSEAM is an extremely serious issue. Children are among the most vulnerable to such harmful content. This threat must be addressed without delay, through stronger policies, dedicated reporting mechanisms and swift action to protect children from exploitation.

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References:

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950193824000433?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=94efffff09e95975
• https://aasc.assam.gov.in/sites/default/files/swf_utility_folder/departments/aasc_webcomindia_org_oi d_4/portlet/level_2/pocso_act.pdf
• https://www.manupatracademy.com/assets/pdf/legalpost/just-rights-for-children-alliance-and-anr-vs-s‍harish-and-ors.pdfhttps://www.icmec.org‍https://www.missingkids.org/theissues/generative-ai

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Executive Summary:

A video that circulated on social media to show Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi inside a helicopter moments before the tragic crash on May 20, 2024, has equally been proven to be fake. The validation of information leaves no doubt, that the video was shot in January 2024, which showed Raisi’s visiting Nemroud Reservoir Dam project. As a means of verifying the origin of the video, the CyberPeace Research Team conducted reverse image search and analyzed the information obtained from the Islamic Republic News Agency, Mehran News, and the Iranian Students’ News Agency. Further, the associated press pointed out inconsistencies between the part in the video that went viral and the segment that was shown by Iranian state television. The original video is old and it is not related to the tragic crash as there is incongruence between the snowy background and the green landscape with a river presented in the clip.

Claims:

A video circulating on social media claims to show Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi inside a helicopter an hour before his fatal crash.

Fact Check:

Upon receiving the posts, in some of the social media posts we found some similar watermarks of the IRNA News agency and Nouk-e-Qalam News. 

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Taking a cue from this, we performed a keyword search to find any credible source of the shared video, but we found no such video uploaded by the IRNA News agency on their website. Recently, they haven’t uploaded any video regarding the viral news. 

We closely analyzed the video, it can be seen that President Ebrahim Raisi was watching outside the snow-covered mountain, but in the internet-available footage regarding the accident, there were no such snow-covered mountains that could be seen but green forest.

We then checked for any social media posts uploaded by IRNA News Agency and found that they had uploaded the same video on X on January 18, 2024. The post clearly indicates the President’s aerial visit to Nemroud Dam.  

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The viral video is old and does not contain scenes that appear before the tragic chopper crash involving President Raisi. 

Conclusion:

The viral clip is not related to the fatal crash of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter and is actually from a January 2024 visit to the Nemroud Reservoir Dam project. The claim that the video shows visuals before the crash is false and misleading.

• Claim:  Viral Video of Iranian President Raisi was shot before fatal chopper crash.
• Claimed on: X (Formerly known as Twitter), YouTube, Instagram
• Fact Check: Fake & Misleading

Introduction

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India officially became part of the US-led Pax Silica project on February 20, 2026, at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. This was a significant milestone in India’s involvement in global technology and supply chain cooperation. India joined a coalition of advanced economies by signing the Pax Silica Declaration in a move aimed at strengthening coordination over technology supply chains on which artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical minerals and advanced manufacturing rely. The entry of India into the global technology landscape is indicative of India’s growing role in the global technology order and reflects broader shifts in how countries are responding to the geopolitics of silicon and AI infrastructure.

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What Is Pax Silica and Why It Matters

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The United States Department of State introduced Pax Silica as a strategic program launched in December 2025. It seeks to establish safe, resilient and innovation-driven supply chains for emerging technologies that are the foundations of the AI era. This encompasses activities ranging from mining and refining of rare earths, gallium and germanium to semiconductor manufacturing, the creation of advanced computing hardware and energy infrastructure. The project describes cooperation as a method of reducing what are termed as coercive dependencies on any one supplier or economy, thereby supporting sustained access to building blocks of state-of-the-art technology.

Pax Silica derives its name from the Latin terms for 'peace' and the substrate material of 'silicon', meaning that the coalition aims at achieving stability and prosperity by working together in supply chains of technology. Early signatories were the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia, the United Kingdom, Israel, Singapore, the Netherlands, Greece, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. India was the twelfth member to sign the declaration.

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India’s Strategic Interests in Pax Silica

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The move to join Pax Silica is both a diplomatic and economic decision. The incorporation of India into a network led ostensibly by the Western bloc and containing developed economy players in the technological supply chain creates the messaging that it wants to be more deeply integrated into the global high-tech ecosystems. 

India currently relies on importing a large proportion of the chips for its electronics production sector, while its domestic manufacturing capacity remains limited. Pax Silica membership could provide Indian firms with advanced manufacturing equipment, process expertise and joint ventures with their partners, who have already developed the fabrication capabilities.

The signing of the declaration was done by the current Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) , the Union Minister, who noted that India is expanding its technological capabilities and future ambitions. He observed that the Indian engineers already play a role in designing advanced semiconductor chips and that the increase in semiconductor capacity will demand a professional workforce. He also emphasised that the availability of international tools and alliances would help accelerate India’s growth in this sector.

Another strategic area is the critical minerals. India is estimated to have significant rare earth reserves, but the resources remain largely underdeveloped. The diversification strategy of Pax Silica in terms of supply and processing routes provides India with an opportunity to have joint ventures and infrastructure projects that could help unlock domestic mineral potential within the country.

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Supply Chains, AI, and Geopolitical Context

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Pax Silica has emerged within a broader geopolitical and supply chain context rather than as a purely economic initiative. The last few years have placed a strain on global technology supply chains with disruptions caused by pandemics, trade tensions, export controls, and the concentrated control of some components of the value chain. China currently dominates in the refinement of rare earths as well as in a variety of legacy semiconductor manufacturing. The concentration has raised concerns about resilience and strategic autonomy among the technology-producing democracies.

This initiative is based on the premise that a diversified and trusted supply chain will make the economic security of countries participating in Pax Silica more secure in case of a trade embargo or as a tool of political leverage. The voluntary and non-binding framework by the coalition only provides a guide to cooperation instead of a binding commitment, though it highlights an acknowledgement of risk and opportunity in global technology markets.

Such concerns as strategic autonomy and the extent of India’s involvement in the initiative have been expressed by those who criticise it, particularly because the coalition is perceived to be partially designed to respond to Chinese dominance in the most important technological sectors. Some analysts have also suggested that India will have to balance its participation in Pax Silica by taking special care of its own interests and alliances outside this coalition.

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Economic and Industrial Implications for India

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Joining Pax Silica offers India potential benefits on multiple fronts.

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Strengthening Innovation and Manufacturing Ecosystems

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India's membership will allow cooperation in semiconductor production, development of advanced computing infrastructure and implementation of AI. The government and industry players could attract investments through partnerships, technology transfer and joint R&D. India’s emerging design and fabrication projects could use a greater international integration in this venture.

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Talent and Skills Development

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A recurring theme among Indian policymakers is the issue of a skilled workforce. As the world semiconductor and AI sector is expected to need millions of specialists in the next 10 years, India’s large talent pool presents an opportunity to produce local talent that is capable of catering to local demands as well as international supply needs. Initiatives linked to Pax Silica have the potential to establish training pathways and institutional bridges that facilitate workforce preparedness.

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Diversification of Supply Partnerships

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In the case of India, the diversification of suppliers and partners goes beyond the availability of materials and technologies. It also implies reducing exposure to supply shocks and enhancing resilience in important industries such as consumer electronics, automotive manufacturing, defence systems and digital infrastructure, all of which rely on semiconductors and advanced computing hardware.

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Broader Industrial Readiness and Domestic Challenges

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India’s participation in Pax Silica highlights the domestic conditions required to support advanced technology manufacturing. A conducive environment will depend on reliable infrastructure, regulatory stability, specialised industrial clusters and sustained policy coordination across government and industry. Semiconductor and AI hardware production are resource-intensive, requiring significant energy, water and chemical management, making environmental safeguards and sustainable industrial planning essential to prevent long-term ecological strain.

At the same time, India faces gaps in its human resource development ecosystem. While engineering talent is abundant, specialised training in semiconductor fabrication, materials science and advanced manufacturing remains limited. Additionally, the relative lack of applied research and development initiatives aimed at reducing technological and financial risks may constrain large-scale industrial expansion, underscoring the need for stronger industry–academia collaboration and targeted innovation support.

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Conclusion: A Strategic Step into the AI Era

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India’s formal entry into the Pax Silica initiative at the 2026 India AI Impact Summit reflects a thoughtful recalibration of its global technology engagement. By aligning with a coalition aimed at securing the supply chains that make modern digital economies possible, India has signalled its intent to be more than just a consumer of technology. It seeks to help shape the infrastructure, partnerships and norms that will define the next generation of AI, semiconductors and critical technologies.

While questions around strategic autonomy and long-term dependencies remain important considerations, Pax Silica offers India access to networks, capabilities and collaborative frameworks that can accelerate its semiconductor ambitions and broaden its role in the global tech order. The move underscores how technology cooperation today increasingly interacts with geopolitics, economic strategy and national aspirations for growth and innovation.

Sources

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• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/what-is-pax-silica-and-why-does-india-joining-the-ai-supply-chain-alliance-matter/articleshow/128594775.cms
• https://paxsilica.org/f/pax-silica-securing-the-foundations-of-the-ai-era
• https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/ai-impact-summit-2026-india-set-to-join-us-led-pax-silica-today-517167-2026-02-20
• https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/pax-silica-india-joins-us-supply-chain-initiative-ai-impact-summit-2026-126022000339_1.html

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