Cybercrime Not Limited To Financial Fraud, But Poses Major Threat To National Security: Amit Shah

Last Updated:February 10, 2026, 21:00 IST

Amit Shah said cybersecurity has strengthened significantly under the Modi government over the past several years.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday warned that cybercrime is no longer confined to financial fraud and has emerged as a significant threat to national security.

Speaking at a national conference on ‘Tackling Cyber-Enabled Frauds and Dismantling the Ecosystem’, organised by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Shah said the rapid expansion of digital transactions, including UPI-based payments, has made cybersecurity a critical priority for the country.

The Home Minister acknowledged that incidents of cyber fraud have increased alongside India’s growing digital footprint but asserted that the government is taking sustained and coordinated measures to counter emerging threats.

Shah said the Ministry of Home Affairs had adopted an early and firm approach to combating cybercrime, focusing on cyber awareness, institutional coordination and capacity building.

He added that India’s cyber security framework has been significantly strengthened under the Modi government over the past several years.

He stressed the importance of timely reporting of cyber incidents, improved cyber hygiene and greater public awareness to ensure a secure digital environment.

Highlighting inter-agency cooperation, Shah referred to the I-Force platform, set up by the Government of India to facilitate coordination among enforcement agencies.

While noting that the initiative has delivered results, he said the time had come to further expand and strengthen it, with multiple institutions now working together under the framework.

He said agencies such as the Reserve Bank of India, the National Investigation Agency and the CBI are collaborating closely to combat cybercrime, and expressed confidence that the conference would help align strategies and enhance operational cooperation against cyber-enabled fraud.

Providing an update on enforcement efforts, Shah said security agencies led by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) had so far saved or frozen more than Rs 8,000 crore of the nearly Rs 20,000 crore defrauded by cyber criminals until November 30, 2025.

During this period, he said, around 82 lakh cybercrime complaints were received, leading to the registration of 1.84 lakh FIRs.

However, Shah cautioned that cybercriminal networks are becoming increasingly organised and technologically advanced, often staying ahead of law enforcement.

He urged the 562 delegates attending the conference to intensify efforts and take the fight against cybercrime to the next level.

The Home Minister also said that while 62 banks and financial institutions have already been onboarded onto the secure framework, the government aims to bring all cooperative banks under its ambit by December 31, further strengthening safeguards across the financial system.

News india Cybercrime Not Limited To Financial Fraud, But Poses Major Threat To National Security: Amit Shah

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