What happened (MHA’s announced steps on cybercrime prevention and digital identity protection)

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced steps to strengthen coordinated cybercrime handling, including cybercrime enabled by artificial intelligence (AI), and to improve cyber resilience through the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and related cyber-security institutions like the Computer Emergency Response Team for India (CERT-In).

MHA’s statement emphasizes that cybercrime prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution primarily fall under States and Union Territories (UTs) because ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. MHA’s role is to supplement State and UT efforts with policy guidance, technology support, capacity building, and financial resources.

Background and earlier position (roles of Centre vs States, and existing cyber-security ecosystem)

The Central Government supplements State/UT capabilities instead of replacing them. In parallel, CERT-In performs functions aimed at threat alerts, vulnerability coordination, and cyber security governance support for detection and response across the ecosystem.

MHA also referenced CERT-In’s ongoing work on alerts/advisories, threat exchange, coordination through its National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC), and cyber hygiene support via Cyber Swachhta Kendra (CSK).

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