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Summary:

A national conference on cybersecurity held in Guwahati addressed the escalating cybercrime and cyberattack situation in India. Experts highlighted the critical need for AI-driven defense mechanisms, improved investigation processes, and greater public awareness. They revealed alarming statistics regarding financial fraud, data breaches, and the slow adoption of modern digital forensic techniques within law enforcement. Experts are urging the Indian government to create more awareness to reduce the amount of cybercrime in the nation.

News Article:

Cybersecurity Experts Call for AI-Driven Defense Amidst Soaring Cybercrime in India

GUWAHATI, November 20, 2025 – A national conference on cybersecurity, digital forensics, and intelligence held at Gauhati University on Wednesday revealed the alarming surge in cybercrime and cyberattacks plaguing India. Experts attending the event, organized by the National Institute of Electronics, Information and Technology (NEILIT), emphasized the urgent need for a resilient, AI-driven defense mechanism and more efficient investigative processes.

Keshri Kumar Asthana, head of public sector at Microsoft, revealed that India lost a staggering ₹22,845 crore to cyberfraud in 2024, marking a 205.6% increase from the previous year. Over 36 lakh financial fraud cases and approximately 20.5 lakh cybersecurity incidents were reported to CERT-In, the national nodal agency, demonstrating the rapidly growing scale of attacks. The average cost of a data breach in India has reached a record high of ₹22 crore in 2025.

According to Shreekrishna Ashutosh of Cellebrite, half of India’s law enforcement agencies report case backlogs, and 60% of investigators still rely on outdated methods. The average time spent reviewing digital evidence per case is 69 hours, further highlighting the need for more efficient and modern solutions. Experts emphasized that digital evidence is now essential in 90% of criminal cases, with 98% of prosecutors considering it pivotal.

The conference concluded with a call to action to create greater cybersecurity awareness among citizens and adopt AI tools to fast-track investigations. L. Lanuwabang, Director of NEILIT, stated that the conference is a part of the ‘Cyber Secure Bharat’ mission, which aims to build a strong digital future by addressing cybercrime, artificial intelligence, and emerging threats.

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