Tripura Strengthens Cybersecurity Ecosystem as State Pushes for Robust Digital Governance Over Rs.83 Crore Lost to Cyber Frauds in Four Years

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, July 1, 2026

Recognising cybersecurity as a cornerstone of modern governance, the Government of Tripura has intensified efforts to strengthen the security of its digital infrastructure and citizen data through a state-level consultative workshop titled "Strengthening Cyber Security Frameworks for State Data." The workshop, organised by the Directorate of Information Technology in collaboration with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, brought together senior government officials, cybersecurity experts, technical institutions, academia and industry representatives to formulate a comprehensive strategy for securing the State's digital ecosystem.

The workshop was inaugurated by Chief Secretary Jitendra Kumar Sinha, IAS, in the presence of Director General of Police Anurag, IPS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of Forest Force RK Samal, IFS, Naman Agarwal, Team Lead, DPDP Act, NeGD, Vikas Razdan, Head, SeMT Jammu & Kashmir, NeGD, along with experts from MeitY, NeGD, STQC, NIC, NIELIT, NIT Agartala, senior government officials and representatives from various departments.

Delivering the keynote address, Chief Secretary JK Sinha stressed that cybersecurity has become a key governance priority in the era of digital governance. He observed that the rapid expansion of e-Governance initiatives and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has resulted in the generation and processing of massive volumes of sensitive citizen and institutional data, making strong cybersecurity measures indispensable. He underlined the need for continuous vigilance, institutional preparedness, robust security mechanisms and capacity building to protect critical digital assets and ensure uninterrupted public service delivery.

The workshop forms part of a nationwide consultative initiative launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) following the vision articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries, where he called for structured consultations between the Centre and States on critical governance issues. The initiative follows a four-stage consultative process comprising preparation of a Concept Note, a National Consultative Workshop with Secretaries of States and Union Territories, State-Level Internal Workshops and a National Departmental Summit scheduled for August 2026, where a comprehensive national framework for securing State data will be finalised.

In the welcome address by Director of informationtechnology Shri Jeya Ragul Geshan B, IFS, highlighted the unprecedented growth of India's digital ecosystem and the corresponding increase in cyber threats. Citing data released by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on October 8, 2025, they noted that reported cybersecurity incidents in India increased from 10.29 lakh in 2022 to 22.68 lakh in 2024. The same report stated that more than 86 per cent of Indian households are connected to the internet, making cybersecurity not merely an Information Technology concern but a national governance priority.

The Government of Tripura showcased its achievements in digital governance, stating that under the leadership of Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha, the State has significantly expanded its digital public infrastructure and citizen-centric services. The State has implemented eOffice across 2,512 Government offices, generating more than 2.87 lakh electronic files, while initiatives such as eVidhan Sabha have considerably improved administrative efficiency, transparency and paperless governance.

Tripura has also emerged as one of the leading digital governance performers in the North Eastern Region by modernising the Tripura State Data Centre (TSDC), establishing the Tripura Security Operations Centre (TSOC), expanding SWAN and HSWAN connectivity, implementing BharatNet in rural areas and launching several Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) platforms. The State also became the first in the country to implement eOffice up to the Gram Panchayat level, demonstrating its commitment to digital governance.

Officials highlighted that Tripura introduced its first Cyber Security Policy in 2018 and has now launched the Tripura Cyber Security Policy, 2025 (TCSP 2.0), providing a comprehensive roadmap for strengthening cyber resilience, institutional capacity, incident response mechanisms and protection of Government systems and citizen data.

As the State's digital ecosystem continues to expand, cyber threats are also increasing rapidly. During the current financial year 2025-26, Tripura has already recorded 3,336 cyber fraud complaints involving financial losses of nearly Rs.38.09 crore, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen institutional preparedness, cyber awareness and inter-departmental coordination.

Highlighting the broader cybercrime scenario, Director General of Police Anurag, IPS, revealed that Tripura has suffered financial losses exceeding Rs.83 crore due to cyber frauds over the past four years. However, prompt intervention by law enforcement agencies enabled authorities to freeze nearly Rs.15.43 crore, while around Rs.1.23 crore has already been refunded to victims.

The DGP warned that online financial frauds have emerged as one of the most serious cybercrime challenges confronting the State. He said investigations increasingly rely on digital evidence such as servers, SIM cards, compromised accounts and stolen digital identities instead of conventional physical evidence. Phishing attacks, financial scams, identity theft, data breaches and sophisticated cyberattacks now pose major risks to individuals, businesses and Government institutions.

Referring to the national scenario, the DGP noted that reported cyber financial fraud losses across India increased from approximately Rs.7,400 crore in 2023 to nearly Rs.22,800 crore in 2024, while reported losses during 2025 stood at around Rs.22,500 crore. He observed that the actual figures could be much higher because many victims either fail to report cybercrimes or delay approaching the dedicated cybercrime reporting system.

Urging citizens to remain vigilant, he advised victims to immediately report cyber frauds through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or by calling the 1930 Cyber Helpline, emphasising that timely reporting significantly improves the chances of freezing fraudulent transactions and recovering stolen money.

Director of Information Technology Jeya Ragul Geshan B., IFS, presented an overview of Tripura's cybersecurity ecosystem and highlighted initiatives such as the establishment of the Tripura Security Operations Centre (TSOC), implementation of Tripura Cyber Security Policy 2025 (TCSP 2.0), modernisation of the State Data Centre and network infrastructure, adoption of Secure by Design principles, Zero-Trust Architecture, risk-based security assessments, continuous monitoring, and enhanced data protection measures.

He emphasised that cybersecurity is no longer merely a technology issue but a governance imperative requiring coordinated action across departments, regular risk assessments, continuous skill development and institutional preparedness.

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