New Delhi witnessed a pivotal moment in India’s fight against cyber fraud as Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a national conference on ‘Tackling Cyber-Based Fraud and Dismantling Its Mechanisms.’ Shah emphasized the collaborative efforts of key agencies including I4C, state police, CBI, NIA, ED, telecom department, banking systems, IT ministry, RBI, and the judiciary, all working tirelessly to curb cybercrimes.
Highlighting the surge in digital engagement, Shah noted that from January 2020 to November 2025, the I4C reporting portal saw over 230 million uses. This period recorded 8.2 million cybercrime complaints, leading to nearly 184,000 FIRs and resolutions in numerous cases. ‘This massive utilization underscores the portal’s growing significance,’ he stated.
The Home Ministry’s comprehensive strategy, adopted well in advance, encompasses real-time reporting, a network of forensic labs, capacity building, research and development, public awareness campaigns, and ensuring cyber hygiene in cyberspace. Shah stressed the need for seamless coordination among these pillars to forge a stronger, safer system.
Established in January 2019, I4C has built impressive infrastructure, fostering coordination among agencies, setting up cyber setups across locations, and taking decisive action against perpetrators. Congratulating CBI and I4C, Shah praised the multi-agency initiative where each entity plays a distinct yet complementary role.
Shah painted a picture of India’s digital boom: internet users jumped from 250 million to 1 billion in 11 years, broadband connections multiplied 16-fold to over 1 billion, data costs dropped 97%, and BharatNet now connects 200,000 panchayats compared to just 546 earlier. UPI transactions in 2024 hit 181 billion worth 233 trillion rupees, accounting for half the world’s digital payments, with 97% of payment volume digital.
The conference aimed to foster a shared understanding of cyber fraud’s scale, trends, and evolving nature in India, setting the stage for more robust countermeasures.