New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday called on cybersecurity agencies to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to uncover the methods used by criminals involved in financial fraud, spreading fake news, and abusing women and children online.
Speaking at the first foundation day celebrations of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Shah highlighted the challenges posed by India’s status as a hub for nearly 46% of global digital transactions.
The I4C, established in 2018 under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), aims to coordinate national efforts to tackle cybercrime. During the event, Shah inaugurated four new I4C platforms: the Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre (CFMC), the ‘Samanvaya’ platform, a Cyber Commandos program, and a Suspect Registry.
Shah urged cybersecurity agencies to move beyond traditional “need to know” protocols and adopt a “duty to share” approach. He emphasized the importance of using AI to understand and combat evolving cybercrime tactics.
He also provided statistics demonstrating the rapid growth of internet and cyber infrastructure in India. As of March 31, India had 95 crore internet users, up from 25 crore in 2014. The number of connected panchayats has surged from 600 to 2.13 lakh, and the country has laid seven lakh km of optical fiber cable. Improvements in data speeds and reduced costs have led to a 78% increase in internet consumption.
In 2024, UPI transactions in India reached approximately Rs 20.64 lakh crore, representing 46% of global digital transactions. Shah acknowledged the heightened challenge this poses for cybersecurity efforts and emphasized the need to address issues such as the illegal sale of personal data, fake news, online harassment, and abuse.
The minister highlighted the need to popularize the ‘1930’ national cyber helpline through an awareness campaign launched by the I4C. He stressed that while progress has been made, more work is needed to combat cybercrime effectively.
Shah underscored the importance of integrating cybersecurity into national security strategies and called for greater coordination between central and state agencies. Cybercrime transcends boundaries, and public awareness is crucial, he noted. He appealed to state governments to support this movement and ensure cyber awareness reaches the grassroots level.
The government plans to train 5,000 cyber commandos over the next five years to enhance its response to cyber threats, Shah added.
