PM Modi Calls For Global Framework To Tackle Cyber Fraud

What global framework did PM Modi propose, and which technology, financial, and telecom organizations would be expected to create it?

PM Modi called for a comprehensive global framework against cyber fraud and deepfakes. Its purpose would be to strengthen security around mobile phones, telecom networks, and digital payments. He argued that people need trust when they communicate or make payments by phone. Because many fraud operations cross borders, one country cannot address the problem alone.

The proposed system would involve global technology companies, financial institutions, telecom operators, and regulators. Modi specifically urged the GSM Association, or GSMA, and worldwide telecom operators to create a mechanism that could identify or block cyber fraud before it reaches large numbers of people. India also offered its experience in fighting cybercrime.

The proposal came at the India Mobile Congress 2026. The meeting’s tenth edition was described as helping map the next decade of telecom in India and globally. If adopted, the framework could make prevention more coordinated across networks, banks, platforms, and countries, rather than relying mainly on victims to report losses afterward.

What are cyber fraud and deepfakes, and how can they be used to trick people into revealing information or sending money?

Cyber fraud is deception carried out through phones, networks, or digital systems to obtain information, access, or money. Deepfakes are artificially created or altered audio, images, or video that can imitate real people or events. The article links both threats to the wider need for stronger security in telecom and digital technology.

A fraudster might use a convincing message, call, or payment request to impersonate a trusted person or organisation. A deepfake could make that impersonation seem more believable by copying someone’s face or voice. A victim may then reveal account details, share a verification code, click a harmful link, or send money. These examples describe common uses of the threats; the article does not provide a specific deepfake case.

Their danger is that they exploit trust, not just technical weaknesses. The article notes that people depend on phones for communication and payments, while many operations are borderless. That is why Modi called for global cooperation and a framework able to act before deceptive content or requests reach the public.

How large is India’s digital-payment fraud problem, in terms of reported cases, money lost, and the share of transactions suspected to be fraudulent?

India’s digital-payment fraud problem is large in both volume and financial impact. Between FY22 and FY26, Indians lost ₹3,588.2 crore across more than 5.83 lakh digital-payment fraud cases. These figures show why payment security has become a central issue for the country’s digital economy.

The problem also appears in attempted transactions, not only confirmed losses. In 2025, nearly 7.1% of attempted digital consumer transactions in India were suspected to be fraudulent. The article compares this with a global rate of 3.8%, placing India’s suspected rate at almost double the worldwide equivalent.

The figures explain why the government is pursuing prevention, reporting, and compensation measures. They also support PM Modi’s call for international cooperation, since cyber-fraud operations often cross borders. India has introduced tools such as the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator, but the scale of suspected activity shows that continued action is needed from banks, telecom operators, technology firms, and regulators.

What measures has India introduced to prevent or report cyber fraud, such as the Sanchar Saathi portal, the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator, and the cybercrime helpline?

India has introduced several layers of defence against cyber fraud. The Sanchar Saathi portal gives people a way to report suspected fraudulent communications. The Financial Fraud Risk Indicator, or FRI, helps identify risky activity and support intervention. Together, these measures target both public reporting and earlier detection.

The portal has received 12.8 lakh inputs on suspected fraud communications since its launch in 2023. The government also announced that the FRI had helped prevent suspected cyber-fraud losses of more than ₹5,000 crore. These results show how information from citizens and risk signals can support faster action.

The response is still expanding. Union home minister Amit Shah directed officials to improve the National Cybercrime Helpline with AI, making crime reporting easier. He also called for solutions to problems involving bank accounts frozen during investigations. Separately, an RBI compensation mechanism can cover part of some victims’ unrecovered losses.

What could happen if telecom companies, banks, technology firms, and regulators successfully prevented fraudulent messages and transactions before they reached the public?

Early prevention would shift cyber-fraud defence from damage control to stopping harm at its source. If suspicious messages, calls, or transactions were blocked before reaching people, fewer victims would be tricked into sending money or sharing information. That would protect households and reduce pressure on banks, helplines, and investigators.

The article points toward this model through the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator, which helped prevent suspected cyber-fraud losses of more than ₹5,000 crore. A broader system could connect signals from telecom operators, banks, technology companies, and regulators. Those organisations could act before a fraudulent communication or payment spreads widely, instead of waiting for reports after losses occur.

Successful prevention would also support public trust in phones and digital payments. This matters because citizens use mobile devices to communicate and make payments. It would not remove every risk, but it could reduce the scale of attacks and the need for compensation. India’s RBI mechanism currently supports some victims when losses remain unrecovered.

Why are international companies and regulators needed to fight cyber fraud when many fraud operations cross national borders?

International companies and regulators are needed because cyber fraud does not necessarily stay within one country. PM Modi said most such operations are borderless. A fraudulent scheme may use one country’s telecom network, another country’s digital platform, and financial channels elsewhere. National action alone may leave gaps between those systems.

The proposed response brings together global technology companies, financial institutions, telecom operators, the GSMA, and regulators. Their cooperation could help identify suspicious communications, payment patterns, or accounts across connected systems. The goal is to create a mechanism that prevents fraud before it reaches large numbers of people, rather than responding only after victims report losses.

India’s experience is part of that international effort. Modi said Indian authorities have gained substantial knowledge from fighting cybercrime and offered that expertise to global regulators. The need is urgent: India recorded more than 5.83 lakh digital-payment fraud cases between FY22 and FY26. Cross-border coordination could make prevention faster and more consistent.

How do mobile networks and digital-payment systems build trust, and why does their interconnected design also create opportunities for large-scale fraud?

Mobile networks and digital-payment systems build trust by making everyday communication and payments fast and accessible. People expect a phone message to reach its destination and a digital payment to move through connected financial systems. PM Modi said security is therefore essential, because ordinary citizens rely on phones for both communication and payments.

The same interconnected design creates opportunities for fraud. Telecom networks can deliver messages at scale, while digital platforms and financial institutions connect users, accounts, and transactions. If criminals exploit those connections, deceptive requests can travel quickly and money can move before victims recognise the danger. The article does not describe one specific attack method, but it highlights the need to secure phones and networks.

That tension explains the call for an ironclad security framework. India’s suspected fraud rate was 7.1% of attempted digital consumer transactions in 2025, compared with 3.8% globally. Stronger cooperation among operators, banks, technology firms, and regulators could protect convenience while reducing large-scale abuse.

Key Facts:

📌 PM Modi proposed a global framework against cyber fraud and deepfakes.

📌 The GSMA and global telecom operators were urged to create a prevention mechanism.

📌 India offered its cybercrime-fighting expertise to global regulators.

📌 Cyber fraud uses digital deception to obtain information or money.

📌 Deepfakes imitate real people or events using fabricated media.

📌 Both threats can exploit trust in phone-based communication and payments.

📌 Indians lost ₹3,588.2 Cr in more than 5.83 Lakh cases between FY22 and FY26.