Centre to train 5,000 Cyber Commandos over next 5 years: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Mr. Amit Shah

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Mr. Amit Shah announced that the Centre plans to train 5,000 ‘Cyber Commandos’ over the next 5 years to tackle the growing threat of cybercrime. Speaking at the first foundation day of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), he also launched the ‘Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre’ (CFMC). He stressed the need for collaboration among stakeholders to address the borderless nature of cybercrime, stating, "The country's progress is not possible without cybersecurity." The ‘Cyber Commandos’ program will establish a specialized unit across States and Union Territories, with Central Police Organizations (CPOs) responsible for handling internal cybersecurity threats. These trained commandos will support State/UT authorities and central agencies in protecting digital spaces, aligning with the Centre’s vision of a ‘Cyber Secure Bharat.’

The I4C, founded on October 5, 2018, functions as a national-level coordination hub for addressing cybercrime and was designated as an attached office under the Ministry of Home Affairs in July 2024. In 2023, 1,128,256 cybercrime incidents were reported on the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting Management System (CFCFMS), a platform created under I4C to register financial frauds and prevent further fund siphoning quickly. Uttar Pradesh led in the number of complaints, with 197,547, while Maharashtra reported the highest financial fraud, amounting to US$ 117.9 million (Rs. 9.9 billion).

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.