PM Modi calls for global framework to tackle cyber frauds, deepfakes, digital crimes
Technology can achieve scale only when it gains people's trust, PM Modi said
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a global framework to address cyber frauds, deepfakes, and digital crimes during the India Mobile Congress 2026, stating that digital threats now transcend national boundaries. In his address, Modi emphasized the need for collaboration among governments, technology firms, telecom operators, and financial institutions to curb digital frauds.
He urged the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) and telecom operators worldwide to collaborate in creating an international mechanism to prevent such crimes from reaching individuals. India, Modi noted, has gained valuable insights from its experiences and is willing to share them globally. He stressed that trust in technology is essential for its scale and impact.
Deepfakes, Modi warned, pose a significant challenge, enabling individuals in one country to commit crimes in another with the help of someone else. The Communications Minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, highlighted India's ambitious plans to double its 5G user base from 550 million to one billion by 2030. India, which lagged behind in 4G, aims to lead the world in 6G technology.
Scindia announced that India will host the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 2030, following the ITU's World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly (WTSA) held in India for the first time in 2024. India's telecom sector has witnessed remarkable growth, with broadband customers increasing from 60 million to over 1.1 billion, and mobile customers reaching 1.35 billion.
The cost of 1 GB data has plummeted from ₹268 in 2014 to ₹8, making it the cheapest in the world. UPI, India's digital payment system, handles 84% of digital transactions in the country, processing 260 billion transactions annually worth $3.4 trillion. Scindia also unveiled the $15 billion BharatNet programme, which aims to provide connectivity to rural areas, offering a 100 Mbps connection to every home.
India's mobile phone industry, which was worth around USD 2-3 billion in 2014, has now grown into a USD 63 billion industry, making India the world's second-largest mobile phone producer.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
