Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the government has implemented extensive legal and technical measures to address cyber attacks, which pose a significant challenge.

During the proceedings of Question Hours in the Rajya Sabha, the minister mentioned that the government is also working on raising public awareness to combat this issue.

To tackle this challenge, the government has enacted thorough legal and technical strategies while fostering awareness to equip citizens.

The minister asserted that India has a strong cybersecurity policy that is being executed meticulously.

He noted that India's position on the global cybersecurity index has advanced from 30-40 to within the top 10.

Concerning legal actions, he explained that Parliament has enacted the Digital Personal Data Protection Act and fortified provisions in existing IT legislation.

Additionally, the minister indicated that the new Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita Act includes penalties for cybercriminals.

 

On the technical front, Vaishnaw pointed out that the Union Home Ministry has established the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) to address cybercrimes in a collaborative and effective manner, which has yielded positive outcomes.

He emphasized that India successfully prevented significant cyberattacks during the G20 summit and the inauguration ceremony of the Ram temple.

In a written report, the minister disclosed that the total number of cybersecurity incidents rose to 20,41,360 in 2024, up from 15,92,917 in 2023 and 13,91,457 in 2022, according to data tracked by CERT-In.

He noted that the government has institutionalized a coordinated national system to address cyberattacks throughout the country.

This includes the National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) under the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), which ensures coordination among various agencies.

Under section 70B of the Information Technology (IT) Act 2000, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) is designated as the national agency for responding to cybersecurity incidents.

The National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC), implemented by CERT-In, acts as a control center to monitor cyberspace within the country and identify cybersecurity threats.

It promotes coordination among varied agencies by sharing metadata from cyberspace to facilitate actions that mitigate cybersecurity risks.

The Cyber Swachhta Kendra (CSK), a service aimed at citizens provided by CERT-In, operates as the Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre, aiding in the detection of harmful software and offering free tools for removal. It also provides cybersecurity advice and best practices for individuals and organizations.

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Following section 70A of the IT Act 2000, the government established the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) to safeguard critical information infrastructure in the nation.