India calls for stronger global cooperation to tackle cross-border cyber fraud at ITU conference

India has called for stronger international cooperation to tackle cross-border cyber fraud and protect digital infrastructure, with Union Minister of State for Communications Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani stressing the need for countries to work together to address growing cybersecurity threats.

India has called for stronger international cooperation to tackle cross-border cyber fraud and protect digital infrastructure, with Union Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani stressing the need for countries to work together to address growing cybersecurity threats. Speaking at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-26) in Doha, Pemmasani highlighted the importance of sharing experiences and best practices to strengthen cybersecurity.

"Cyber threats do not respect borders, and neither should our cooperation. Learning from each other's best practices makes all of us stronger," the minister said, according to a release issued by the Ministry of Communications on Wednesday. On the sidelines of the conference, Pemmasani held meetings with delegations from Malaysia, Iran and Uzbekistan, where discussions focused on cross-border cyber fraud, digital infrastructure security and cooperation in quantum technology.

Highlighting India's efforts to tackle digital financial fraud, the minister said alerts sent to banks had helped prevent suspected financial losses of over Rs 5,000 crore. The government had earlier reported that its Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) mechanism had helped prevent suspected financial losses of Rs 5,043.73 crore as of August 2026.

During a high-level discussion on emerging technologies, Pemmasani also called for greater participation by developing countries in framing global technology standards and spectrum policies. He highlighted India's efforts to expand affordable digital connectivity, noting that around 2.2 billion people worldwide remain offline.

The minister cited India's investment of approximately USD 15 billion in the BharatNet programme, aimed at expanding broadband connectivity in rural areas. He also highlighted the Samriddh Gram Centres, which provide villagers access to healthcare services, agricultural advice, banking facilities and government certificates.

India's initiatives in affordable artificial intelligence computing, indigenous language AI models, quantum research and the establishment of 100 5G use-case laboratories were also discussed during his address. The minister stressed the importance of ensuring that emerging technologies remain accessible and affordable, particularly for developing countries. (ANI)