Минцифры Индии обязала лаборатории цифровой криминалистики перейти на отечественные инструменты

- Policy - 1 min read MeitY seeks India’s cyber forensic labs to adopt indigenous tools developed by C-DAC, startups Considering the growing volume and complexity of cybercrime cases being handled by the cyber forensics labs, and the need to build long-term indigenous capability, the ministry said it is necessary to “encourage the wider adoption of indigenous cyber forensics tools across the country”, particularly those funded by the government of India. NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has asked India’s cyber forensic labs to adopt indigenous cyber tools developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), industry, and startups. This follows MeitY’s observation that cyber forensic laboratories, notified under Section 79A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, as examiners of electronic evidence, predominantly rely on foreign tools, which entail recurring licensing costs and dependency on external vendors. Considering the growing volume and complexity of cybercrime cases being handled by the cyber forensic labs, and the need to build long-term indigenous capability, the ministry said it is necessary to “encourage the wider adoption of indigenous cyber forensic tools across the country”, particularly those funded by the government of India. The MeitY, in an office memorandum dated August 25, 2026, said that indigenous tools have been developed as per the specific requirements of Indian law enforcement agencies and are aligned with the objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat by reducing dependence on foreign proprietary forensic software. “Indigenous development also ensures greater data sovereignty, cost-effectiveness, ease of customisation to evolving case requirements, and freedom from external licensing and support constraints that are often associated with imported forensic tools,” it said. In this regard, the MeitY has sought the cyber forensic labs to “evaluate and, wherever found suitable, adopt available indigenous cyber forensic tools…in place of or alongside existing tools”. "We welcome the government’s move to notify the adoption and use of indigenous cyber forensics tools. This is a significant step towards strengthening India’s cybersecurity capabilities while promoting homegrown innovation and self-reliance," said Dharshan Shanthamurthy, founder & CEO, SISA. This follows MeitY’s observation that cyber forensic laboratories, notified under Section 79A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, as examiners of electronic evidence, predominantly rely on foreign tools, which entail recurring licensing costs and dependency on external vendors. Considering the growing volume and complexity of cybercrime cases being handled by the cyber forensic labs, and the need to build long-term indigenous capability, the ministry said it is necessary to “encourage the wider adoption of indigenous cyber forensic tools across the country”, particularly those funded by the government of India. The MeitY, in an office memorandum dated August 25, 2026, said that indigenous tools have been developed as per the specific requirements of Indian law enforcement agencies and are aligned with the objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat by reducing dependence on foreign proprietary forensic software. “Indigenous development also ensures greater data sovereignty, cost-effectiveness, ease of customisation to evolving case requirements, and freedom from external licensing and support constraints that are often associated with imported forensic tools,” it said. In this regard, the MeitY has sought the cyber forensic labs to “evaluate and, wherever found suitable, adopt available indigenous cyber forensic tools…in place of or alongside existing tools”. "We welcome the government’s move to notify the adoption and use of indigenous cyber forensics tools. This is a significant step towards strengthening India’s cybersecurity capabilities while promoting homegrown innovation and self-reliance," said Dharshan Shanthamurthy, founder & CEO, SISA.