Urgent need to provide legal aid to cyber crime victims: Vice President

New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) Underscoring the importance of data protection awareness even in the remotest corner of the country, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday emphasised the need of providing legal aid to cybercrime victims, especially in rural areas.Taking cognisance of increasing cyber crime incidents with increasing digital penetration in the country, he said this was a new area of concern for agencies, investigators, regulators and the legal fraternity, and called for developing technical and human expertise to tackle it.Addressing the valedictory session of the third cyber security conference organised by the Global Counter Terrorism Council (GCTC) at Vigyan Bhavan here, the Vice President said innocent people are being duped by fraudulent elements.India now has over 820 million active internet users and has achieved banking inclusion for over 500 million individuals.Dhankhar said a secure digital environment fosters innovation, attracts investment, and facilitates seamless economic activities.Highlighting the changing nature of contemporary warfare, the Vice President emphasised that war has transcended conventional boundaries, extending beyond land, space, and sea into new technological realms.”A nation’s preparedness in terms of advanced technologies will be crucial in defining its global promise and strategic strength,” he noted.The implementation of key initiatives, including the National Cyber Security Policy, the establishment of the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, and updates to the Information Technology Act 2000, signify a significant advancement in safeguarding the country’s digital infrastructure, the Vice President noted.–IANSna/vd