India’s data being stolen, sold to hostile, forces: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday warned that India’s data is being stolen and sold to hostile forces, but said the government is making concerted efforts to curb such activities as cyber threats grow alongside the country’s expanding digital ecosystem.

Delivering the keynote address at a two-day national conference on ‘Tackling Cyber-Enabled Frauds & Dismantling the Ecosystem’, organised by the CBI in the national capital, Shah said that cybersecurity had become critically important as digital transactions and UPI-based payments are now part of everyday life in India.

He said the Home Ministry had taken a firm stand against cybercrime at an early stage and had worked to promote cyber awareness among citizens.

Stressing the need for stronger safeguards, Shah said the focus must now be on reducing “leakage from all sides”.

The Home Minister also informed the gathering that the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the Home Ministry’s cybercrime wing, had saved or frozen more than Rs 8,000 crore swindled by fraudsters till November 30, 2025.

Highlighting the role of I-Force, created by the government, Shah said it had performed well in ensuring coordination among agencies.