Modi urges global framework to curb cyber fraud and deepfakes at IMC 2026

Inaugurating the tenth edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, Modi said as telecom has become so important in our lives, the security measures have become vital

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a global framework to tackle cyber fraud, deepfakes and other technology-driven threats, stressing the need for governments, technology companies, telecom operators and financial institutions to work together to protect citizens.Speaking at the inauguration of the 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi, Modi said cybercrime does not remain confined to national borders and requires international cooperation.The Prime Minister also urged technology and telecom companies to strengthen digital security as India’s digital ecosystem continues to expand across banking, education, healthcare and government services.Yami Gautam Urges Media Not To Manipulate Her Photos Using AI Amid Chuttamalle Deepfake Video: 'Don't Alter Without Consent'Modi calls for global action against cyber fraudModi proposed greater cooperation between governments, technology companies, telecom operators and financial institutions to prevent cyber fraud before it reaches citizens.A key focus of the proposed framework would be tackling AI-generated content, including deepfakes, which are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from authentic images, videos and audio.The Prime Minister said India has gained significant experience in addressing such challenges and is willing to share its approach with other countries."Governments, technology companies, telecom operators, and financial institutions—all of them will have to be part of this framework. I also urge the GSMA and telecom operators around the world: let us create a global mechanism that can prevent such fraud from reaching people in the first place. India has learned a great deal from its own experience in this direction," he said. He also stressed the importance of ensuring that citizens can trust the digital services they use, whether they are receiving calls and messages, making digital payments or sharing personal information online.According to Modi, the scale of digital technology must be accompanied by public trust and stronger safeguards.Addressing the India Mobile Congress. It is encouraging to see India's telecom sector steadily moving towards greater self-reliance. https://t.co/tIuohkURIE— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 8, 2026 Telecom operators urged to strengthen digital securityModi highlighted the growing role of telecom operators in securing India’s digital ecosystem.He noted that mobile phones are no longer used only for communication, but have become an important gateway to banking, education, healthcare and government services."The security of our phones and the security of our networks must be a priority for all of us. An ordinary citizen does not think in terms of protocols or architecture. For them, trust is extremely important. When they receive a call on their phone, they should know who is calling. When they receive a message, they should know whether it is genuine or fake. When they make a payment, they should have confidence that their money is safe. And when they provide their data through a phone, they should trust that their data is secure. Friends, technology can achieve scale only when it earns trust. And you all know that cyber fraud and cybercrime do not respect boundaries. They have already crossed those boundaries. A person sitting in one country can commit a crime in a third country with the help of someone in a second country," he urged. With more citizens, particularly those in villages and smaller cities, gaining access to the internet, the Prime Minister said the expansion of digital connectivity must go hand in hand with stronger security.India’s telecom growth has also helped extend access to government schemes and digital services to people who were previously unable to benefit from them, he said.Global cooperation needed as AI risks growThe Prime Minister’s call comes as the rapid adoption of AI creates new challenges around digital fraud and synthetic media.Deepfakes can be used to create convincing fake videos, images and audio, raising concerns around fraud, impersonation and misinformation. The increasing sophistication of generative AI tools has made it harder for users to determine whether digital content is genuine.Modi said addressing these risks will require cooperation across sectors and countries, rather than isolated action by individual governments or companies.The emphasis at IMC 2026 was therefore not only on expanding digital connectivity, but also on building a secure and trusted digital ecosystem as India and the world move towards an increasingly AI-driven future.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday described deepfakes as a major challenge to digital security and called for a coordinated international framework to tackle cyber fraud and protect consumers.Addressing the 10th India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, Modi said the growing sophistication of digital threats required governments, technology companies and financial institutions to work together.Deepfakes कितनी बड़ी चुनौती बन चुकी है... ये भी हम देख रहे हैं।इसलिए जरूरी है कि हम इसके लिए एक Global Framework पर काम करें: PM @narendramodi— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 8, 2026 He warned that cybercriminals could operate across multiple countries, making national boundaries increasingly irrelevant in tackling online fraud.Modi urges global cooperation to tackle deepfakesHighlighting the risks posed by emerging technologies, Modi said criminals could coordinate from different countries to target victims elsewhere."Deepfakes have become a big challenge," he said.The Prime Minister urged the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) and telecom operators worldwide to establish mechanisms capable of preventing fraudulent activity before it affects consumers.He emphasised that tackling such threats would require collaboration between governments, telecommunications providers, technology platforms and financial institutions.Modi said India had gained valuable experience in addressing digital fraud and was prepared to share its knowledge with international partners.He stressed that countries must coordinate their responses because cybercriminal networks frequently operate across jurisdictions.His remarks reflected growing concerns about the misuse of digital technologies for impersonation, deception and financial fraud. Global data security framework needed to build digital trustModi also called for international standards to strengthen data protection as digital services become increasingly widespread."We need a global framework for data security," he said.The Prime Minister identified mobile phone security, network protection and consumer confidence as essential priorities for the telecommunications industry.He argued that technological innovation could achieve widespread adoption only when users trusted the systems handling their information and financial transactions."Technology can only achieve scale when it establishes trust," Modi said.He added that consumers must feel confident about the safety of their personal data and money when using digital platforms.According to Modi, cyber fraud requires a collective response because its consequences extend beyond individual countries and technology networks.The Prime Minister's appeal placed deepfake prevention, financial security and personal data protection at the centre of international discussions on digital trust and cooperation.

Technology can achieve scale only when it gains people's trust, PM Modi said

PM Modi said fraud had to be stopped at the source rather than after citizens had been targeted.