According to Amit Shah, Union Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), 805 applications and 3,266 website links were blocked, 1.9 million mule accounts have been caught and suspicious transactions worth over Rs 20 billion have been suspended due to the intervention of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).
He mentioned that efforts are underway to employ artificial intelligence (AI), in coordination with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and all banks, to establish a system for detection of mule accounts, used by cyber criminals to park swindled funds. He noted that this will ensure the closure of mule accounts even before they are operational.
As per him, the massive expansion of digital infrastructure in India in the recent years, with number of internet users up by 4.5 times over the past decade and 48 per cent of global transactions in 2024 having taken place in India, it has also led to a natural rise in number of cyber-attacks.
He also highlighted that cyberspace comprises a complex network of ‘software’, ‘services’, and ‘users.’ In addition, India is now the third-largest country in the world in terms of digital landscape and MHA is working to ensure “zero” cybercrime cases.
Elaborating on four types of strategies – convergence, coordination, communication, and capacity – to fight cybercrime, he further mentioned that inter-ministerial and inter-departmental coordination within the MHA has been strengthened, ensuring seamless communication and smooth flow of information.
He added that a healthy tradition of exchange of information between the MHA, Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) and departments, like telecom and banking, has also led to successful tackling of many cybercrime cases, he added.
Furthermore, he emphasised the importance of raising awareness among the public to prevent cybercrime and requested all the members of the parliamentary consultatitve committee to promote the I4C helpline number ‘1930’.
