UN, Red Cross renew urgent call to curb autonomous weapons before deployment

The United Nations and the Red Cross have renewed their appeal for bans and restrictions on autonomous weapons. They say faster weapons development is outpacing regulation and endangering civilians.Stock photo used for illustrationThe United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross have renewed a joint appeal for countries to adopt bans and restrictions on autonomous weapons systems, often called killer robots, saying the urgency has grown. In a statement issued in Geneva on Tuesday, the two organisations warned that the risks linked to such systems have intensified.Building on an initial appeal made three years ago and years of international discussions, the call does not seek a blanket ban. However, it says such weapons systems are being developed and stresses the need to protect civilians before they are used on the battlefield, even though the UN and the Red Cross said they have not confirmed their use in combat."We are now dangerously close to crossing a moral red line: The autonomous targeting of humans by machines," UN Geneva spokesperson Alessandra Vellucci said, reading out a joint statement by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric."Today, we renew this call with even greater urgency," the statement said. "The fundamental concerns remain unchanged, but the risks have intensified." The two organisations said weapons technology is developing at "record speed", putting pressure on the international rules-based system and widening the gap between technological capability and regulatory limits. "Autonomous weapons systems are not part of a distant future - a race toward greater autonomy in weapons systems is already well underway," the joint statement said. It added that scientists and engineers working on these systems have also expressed concern. "When the architects of this technology are calling for limits, states cannot afford to remain passive," the organisations said.The appeal comes ahead of a meeting of negotiators in Geneva in November to discuss ways to strengthen the existing Convention on Conventional Weapons. The UN and the ICRC said that conference "offers the clearest path available" towards binding legal rules on the use of autonomous weapons systems. Efforts over several years to place limits on lethal autonomous weapons systems have struggled to produce results. The latest push comes at a time when drones and other technologies are being used in conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, Sudan and elsewhere. "This year must mark a turning point," the statement said, as the UN and the Red Cross renewed their call for action on the issue.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 25, 2026 17:12 IST