India Welcomes ITU Proposal for Joint Trials to Combat Cross-Border Telecom Fraud: Union Minister of State for Communications Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani

Union Minister of State for Communications Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani delivered the keynote address at the ITU Roundtable during the India Mobile Congress 2026. India welcomed the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) proposal for joint trials to combat cross-border telecom fraud. The Minister highlighted the growing threat of international and organised digital fraud, noting that Indians lost over ₹22,800 crore in 2024. He outlined India's five-layered defensive approach, which includes the ASTR AI-based tool for disconnecting over 82 lakh fraudulent mobile connections, the Sanchar Saathi app recording around 25 million downloads, and the Digital Intelligence Platform connecting over 1,600 stakeholders. Furthermore, the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator helped prevent suspected losses exceeding ₹5,000 crore over 15 months.