#FactCheck -False Claim About Indian Ships Paying Iran in Yuan to Pass Strait of Hormuz Goes Viral Amid Geopolitical Tensions
Executive Summary
Amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions involving the US, Israel, and Iran, and reports of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz affecting cargo ship movement and global crude oil prices, several posts on social media have made a viral claim. The posts allege that Indian cargo vessels are being allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after payments to Iran were made in Chinese currency, the yuan. The claim has been widely circulated from certain social media accounts, suggesting a shift in India’s trade and payment arrangements. However, a fact-check by CyberPeace Research Wing has found the claim to be false.
Claim
A social media user “MEHF voice 2.0” shared a viral post (archived link), claiming that an Indian oil tanker secured passage through the Strait of Hormuz by making payments in Chinese yuan. The post further suggested that India had formed a new alignment with China, bypassing the US dollar system.
Fact Check
Due to US sanctions, Iran is excluded from the international banking network SWIFT, which prevents direct trade settlements in US dollars or euros. As a result, India and Iran conduct trade through a specially designed rupee–rial payment mechanism. According to a Ministry of Commerce and Industry release (based on a written reply in Parliament), India and Iran established this arrangement to facilitate bilateral trade using local currencies instead of the US dollar.
Further, information from the Indian Embassy in Tehran notes that rupee-based payments are processed through UCO Bank and Iranian banks with vostro accounts, enabling trade settlement outside sanctioned banking channels. IDBI Bank has also been part of efforts to expand rupee-based transactions with Iran.
The Ministry of External Affairs’ official fact-check handle has also debunked this claim, confirming that it is false.
Conclusion
The viral claim that Indian oil tankers are paying in Chinese yuan to pass through the Strait of Hormuz is false. India and Iran conduct trade settlements through a rupee–rial payment mechanism, not through the Chinese currency.
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Introduction
Microsoft has unveiled its ambitious roadmap for developing a quantum supercomputer with AI features, acknowledging the transformative power of quantum computing in solving complex societal challenges. Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionise AI by enhancing its capabilities and enabling breakthroughs in different fields. Microsoft’s groundbreaking announcement of its plans to develop a quantum supercomputer, its potential applications, and the implications for the future of artificial intelligence (AI). However, there is a need for regulation in the realms of quantum computing and AI and significant policies and considerations associated with these transformative technologies. This technological advancement will help in the successful development and deployment of quantum computing, along with the potential benefits and challenges associated with its implementation.
What isQuantum computing?
Quantum computing is an emerging field of computer science and technology that utilises principles from quantum mechanics to perform complex calculations and solve certain types of problems more efficiently than classical computers. While classical computers store and process information using bits, quantum computers use quantum bits or qubits.
Interconnected Future
Quantum computing promises to significantly expand AI’s capabilities beyond its current limitations. Integrating these two technologies could lead to profound advancements in various sectors, including healthcare, finance, and cybersecurity. Quantum computing and artificial intelligence (AI) are two rapidly evolving fields that have the potential to revolutionise technology and reshape various industries. This section explores the interdependence of quantum computing and AI, highlighting how integrating these two technologies could lead to profound advancements across sectors such as healthcare, finance, and cybersecurity.
- Enhancing AI Capabilities:
Quantum computing holds the promise of significantly expanding the capabilities of AI systems. Traditional computers, based on classical physics and binary logic, need help solving complex problems due to the exponential growth of computational requirements. Quantum computing, on the other hand, leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to perform computations on quantum bits or qubits, which can exist in multiple states simultaneously. This inherent parallelism and superposition property of qubits could potentially accelerate AI algorithms and enable more efficient processing of vast amounts of data.
- Solving Complex Problems:
The integration of quantum computing and AI has the potential to tackle complex problems that are currently beyond the reach of classical computing methods. Quantum machine learning algorithms, for example, could leverage quantum superposition and entanglement to analyse and classify large datasets more effectively. This could have significant applications in healthcare, where AI-powered quantum systems could aid in drug discovery, disease diagnosis, and personalised medicine by processing vast amounts of genomic and clinical data.
- Advancements in Finance and Optimisation:
The financial sector can benefit significantly from integrating quantum computing and AI. Quantum algorithms can be employed to optimise portfolios, improve risk analysis models, and enhance trading strategies. By harnessing the power of quantum machine learning, financial institutions can make more accurate predictions and informed decisions, leading to increased efficiency and reduced risks.
- Strengthening Cybersecurity:
Quantum computing can also play a pivotal role in bolstering cybersecurity defences. Quantum techniques can be employed to develop new cryptographic protocols that are resistant to quantum attacks. In conjunction with quantum computing, AI can further enhance cybersecurity by analysing massive amounts of network traffic and identifying potential vulnerabilities or anomalies in real time, enabling proactive threat mitigation.
- Quantum-Inspired AI:
Beyond the direct integration of quantum computing and AI, quantum-inspired algorithms are also being explored. These algorithms, designed to run on classical computers, draw inspiration from quantum principles and can improve performance in specific AI tasks. Quantum-inspired optimisation algorithms, for instance, can help solve complex optimisation problems more efficiently, enabling better resource allocation, supply chain management, and scheduling in various industries.
How Quantum Computing and AI Should be Regulated-
As quantum computing and artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, questions arise regarding the need for regulations to govern these technologies. There is debate surrounding the regulation of quantum computing and AI, considering the potential risks, ethical implications, and the balance between innovation and societal protection.
- Assessing Potential Risks: Quantum computing and AI bring unprecedented capabilities that can significantly impact various aspects of society. However, they also pose potential risks, such as unintended consequences, privacy breaches, and algorithmic biases. Regulation can help identify and mitigate these risks, ensuring these technologies’ responsible development and deployment.
- Ethical Implications: AI and quantum computing raise ethical concerns related to privacy, bias, accountability, and the impact on human autonomy. For AI, issues such as algorithmic fairness, transparency, and decision-making accountability must be addressed. Quantum computing, with its potential to break current encryption methods, requires regulatory measures to protect sensitive information. Ethical guidelines and regulations can provide a framework to address these concerns and promote responsible innovation.
- Balancing Innovation and Regulation: Regulating quantum computing and AI involves balancing fostering innovation and protecting society’s interests. Excessive regulation could stifle technological advancements, hinder research, and impede economic growth. On the other hand, a lack of regulation may lead to the proliferation of unsafe or unethical applications. A thoughtful and adaptive regulatory approach is necessary, considering the dynamic nature of these technologies and allowing for iterative improvements based on evolving understanding and risks.
- International Collaboration: Given the global nature of quantum computing and AI, international collaboration in regulation is essential. Harmonising regulatory frameworks can avoid fragmented approaches, ensure consistency, and facilitate ethical and responsible practices across borders. Collaborative efforts can also address data privacy, security, and cross-border data flow challenges, enabling a more unified and cooperative approach towards regulation.
- Regulatory Strategies: Regulatory strategies for quantum computing and AI should adopt a multidisciplinary approach involving stakeholders from academia, industry, policymakers, and the public. Key considerations include:
- Risk-based Approach: Regulations should focus on high-risk applications while allowing low-risk experimentation and development space.
- Transparency and Explainability: AI systems should be transparent and explainable to enable accountability and address concerns about bias, discrimination, and decision-making processes.
- Privacy Protection: Regulations should safeguard individual privacy rights, especially in quantum computing, where current encryption methods may be vulnerable.
- Testing and Certification: Establishing standards for the testing and certification of AI systems can ensure their reliability, safety, and adherence to ethical principles.
- Continuous Monitoring and Adaptation: Regulatory frameworks should be dynamic, regularly reviewed, and adapted to keep pace with the evolving landscape of quantum computing and AI.
Conclusion:
Integrating quantum computing and AI holds immense potential for advancing technology across diverse domains. Quantum computing can enhance the capabilities of AI systems, enabling the solution of complex problems, accelerating data processing, and revolutionising industries such as healthcare, finance, and cybersecurity. As research and development in these fields progress, collaborative efforts among researchers, industry experts, and policymakers will be crucial in harnessing the synergies between quantum computing and AI to drive innovation and shape a transformative future.The regulation of quantum computing and AI is a complex and ongoing discussion. Striking the right balance between fostering innovation, protecting societal interests, and addressing ethical concerns is crucial. A collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to regulation, considering international cooperation, risk assessment, transparency, privacy protection, and continuous monitoring, is necessary to ensure these transformative technologies' responsible development and deployment.
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Introduction
Autonomous transportation, smart cities, remote medical care, and immersive augmented reality are just a few of the revolutionary applications made possible by the global rollout of 5G technology. However, along with this revolution in connectivity, a record-breaking rise in vulnerabilities and threats has emerged, driven by software-defined networks, growing attack surfaces, and increasingly complex networks. As work on next-generation 6G networks accelerates, with commercialisation starting in 2030, security issues are piling up, including those related to AI-driven networks, terahertz communications, and quantum computing attacks. For a nation like India, poised to become a global technological leader, next-generation network procurement is not merely a technical necessity but a strategic imperative. Initiatives such as India-UK collaboration on telecom security in recent years say a lot about how international alliances are the order of the day to address these challenges.
Why Cybersecurity in 5G and 6G Networks is Crucial
With the launch of global 5G services and the rapid introduction of 6G technologies, the telecom sector is seeing a fundamental transformation. Besides expanding connectivity, future networks are also creating the building blocks for networked and highly intelligent environments. With its ultra-high speed of 10 Gbps, network slicing, and ultra-low latency, 5G provides new capabilities that are perfectly suited for mission-critical applications such as telemedicine, autonomous vehicles, and industrial IoT. Sixth-generation wireless technology is still in development, and it will be approximately one hundred times faster than fifth-generation. Here are a few drawbacks and challenges:
- Decentralised Infrastructure (edge computing nodes): Increased number of entry points for attack.
- Virtual Network Functions (VNFs): Greater vulnerability to configuration issues and software exploitation.
- Billions of IoT devices with different security states, thus forming networks that are more difficult to secure.
Although these challenges are unparalleled, the advancement in technology also creates new opportunities.
Understanding the Cyber Threat Landscape for 5G and 6G
The move to 5G and the upgrade to 6G open great opportunities, but also open doors for new cybersecurity risks. Open RAN usage offers flexibility and vendor selection but exposes the supply chain to untested third-party components and attacks. SBA security vulnerabilities can be exploited to disrupt vital network services, resulting in outages or data breaches. Similarly, widespread adoption of edge computing to reduce latency creates multiple entry points for an attacker to target. Compounding the problem is the explosion of IoT device connections through 5G, which, if breached, can fuel massive botnets capable of conducting massive distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
Challenges in 6G
- AI-Powered Cyberattacks: AI-native 6G networks are susceptible to adversarial machine learning attacks, data model poisoning, both for security and for traffic optimisation.
- Quantum Threats: Post-quantum cryptography may be required if quantum computing renders current encryption algorithms outdated.
- Privacy Concerns with Digital Twins: 6G may result in creating enormous privacy and data protection issues in addition to offering real-time virtual replicas of the physical world.
- Cross-Border Data Flow Risks: Secure interoperability frameworks and standardised data sovereignty are essential for the worldwide rollout of 6G.
A Critical Step Toward Secure Telecom: The India-UK Partnership
India's recent foray with the UK reflects its active role in shaping the future of telecom security. Major points of the UK-India Telecom Roundtable are:
- MoU between SONIC Labs and C-DOT: Dedicated to Open RAN and AI integration security in 4G/5G deployments. This will offer supply chain diversity without sacrificing resilience.
- Research Partnerships for 6G: Partnerships with UK institutions like CHEDDAR (Cloud & Distributed Computing Hub) and the University of Glasgow 6G Research Centre are focused on developing AI-driven network security solutions, green 6G, and quantum-resistant design.
- Telecom Cybersecurity Centres of Excellence: Constructing two-way CoEs for telecom cybersecurity, ethical AI, and digital twin security models.
- Standardisation Efforts: Joint contribution to ITU for the creation of IMT-2030 standards, in a way that cybersecurity-by-design principles are integrated into worldwide 6G specifications.
- Future Initiatives:
- Application of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) for cross-sectoral data usage.
- Secure quantum communications to be used for satellite and submarine cable connections.
- Encouragement of native telecommunication stacks for strategic independence.
Global Policy and Regulatory Aspects
- India's Bharat 6G Vision: India will lead the global standardisation process in the Bharat 6G Alliance with a vision of inclusive, secure, and sustainable connectivity.
- International Harmonisation:
- 3GPP and ITU's joint effort towards standardisation of 6G security.
- Cross-border privacy and cybersecurity compliance system designs to enable secure flows of data.
- Cyber Diplomacy for Telecom Security: Cross-border sharing of information architectures, threat intelligence sharing, and coordinated incident response schemes are essential to 6G security resilience globally.
Building a Secure and Resilient Future for 5G and 6G
Establishing a safe and future-proof 5G and 6G environment should be an end-to-end effort involving governments, industry, and technology vendors. Security should be integrated into the underlying architecture of the networks and not an afterthought feature to be optionally provided. Active engagement in international bodies to establish homogeneous security and privacy standards across geographies is also required. Public-private partnerships, including academia partnerships, will be the driver for innovation and the creation of advanced protection mechanisms. Simultaneously, creating a competent talent pool to manage AI-based threat analysis, quantum-resistant cryptography, and next-generation cryptographic methods will be required to combat the advanced menace of new telecom technologies.
Conclusion
Given 6G on the way and 5G technologies already changing global connections, cybersecurity needs to continue to be a key focus. The partnership between India and the UK serves as an example of why the safe rise of tomorrow's networks depends on global collaboration, AI-driven security measures, plus quantum preparedness. The world can unleash the potential for transformation of 5G and 6G through combining security by design, supporting international standards, and encouraging innovation via cooperation. This will result in an online future that is not only quick and egalitarian but also solid and trustworthy.
References:
- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2105225
- https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/study-groups/rsg5/rwp5d/imt-2030/pages/default.aspx
- https://dot.gov.in/sites/default/files/Bharat%206G%20Vision%20Statement%20-%20full.pdf
- https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/technologies/security/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FS.40-v3.0-002-19-July.pdf
Executive Summary:
A viral video depicting a powerful tsunami wave destroying coastal infrastructure is being falsely associated with the recent tsunami warning in Japan following an earthquake in Russia. Fact-checking through reverse image search reveals that the footage is from a 2017 tsunami in Greenland, triggered by a massive landslide in the Karrat Fjord.
Claim:
A viral video circulating on social media shows a massive tsunami wave crashing into the coastline, destroying boats and surrounding infrastructure. The footage is being falsely linked to the recent tsunami warning issued in Japan following an earthquake in Russia. However, initial verification suggests that the video is unrelated to the current event and may be from a previous incident.
Fact Check:
The video, which shows water forcefully inundating a coastal area, is neither recent nor related to the current tsunami event in Japan. A reverse image search conducted using keyframes extracted from the viral footage confirms that it is being misrepresented. The video actually originates from a tsunami that struck Greenland in 2017. The original footage is available on YouTube and has no connection to the recent earthquake-induced tsunami warning in Japan
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) confirmed in a blog post on June 19, 2017, that the deadly Greenland tsunami on June 17, 2017, was caused by a massive landslide. Millions of cubic meters of rock were dumped into the Karrat Fjord by the landslide, creating a wave that was more than 90 meters high and destroying the village of Nuugaatsiaq. A similar news article from The Guardian can be found.
Conclusion:
Videos purporting to depict the effects of a recent tsunami in Japan are deceptive and repurposed from unrelated incidents. Users of social media are urged to confirm the legitimacy of such content before sharing it, particularly during natural disasters when false information can exacerbate public anxiety and confusion.
- Claim: Recent natural disasters in Russia are being censored
- Claimed On: Social Media
- Fact Check: False and Misleading
