Relevance: GS III (Internal Security – Cyber Security) & GS II (Global Groupings)

Source : The hindu

1. The Human Context: The Talk vs. The Walk

The world is facing a strange crisis in governing the internet.

  • The Paradox: On stage, every country agrees on high ideals like “Safe AI” and “Trustworthy Tech.”
  • The Reality: Off stage, they cannot agree on a single rule to enforce it. The world is moving from one global internet to a fractured web, where different regions (US, EU, China) have conflicting rules. This makes it a nightmare for nations to catch cybercriminals who cross borders.

2. The Treaty Dilemma: Why India Said No

In late 2024, the UN finally adopted the Convention Against Cybercrime (often called the Hanoi Convention) to fix this.

  • The Goal: To create a global law for punishing ransomware, hackers, and online fraud.
  • India’s Stand: Despite sitting at the table, India refused to sign.
  • The Fear:
    • Privacy Risk: The treaty forces countries to share sensitive citizen data with foreign police agencies. This conflicts with India’s Supreme Court verdict on the Right to Privacy (Puttaswamy Judgment).
    • Human Rights: The definition of “serious crime” is so vague that it could be misused by some nations to target political dissidents or journalists under the guise of “cybercrime.”

3. The Two Camps

India is now an outlier, rejecting both major global frameworks:

  1. Budapest Convention (Western Camp): India rejected this because it was written by Europe without asking developing nations (“Colonial hangover”).
  2. UN Convention (Russia/China backed): India abstained because it risks citizen privacy and sovereignty.

UPSC Value Box

Concept / TermRelevance for Prelims
Zero Trust ArchitectureA modern security model based on the principle “Never Trust, Always Verify.” It assumes hackers are already inside the network, so every single access request must be verified.
Puttaswamy Judgment (2017)The landmark Supreme Court ruling that declared the Right to Privacy a fundamental right under Article 21. Any international cyber treaty India signs must not violate this.
SplinternetThe fragmentation of the internet into separate, isolated ecosystems controlled by different governments (e.g., The Great Firewall of China vs. the Open Web).

Q. With reference to international frameworks on cybercrime, consider the following statements:

  1. The Budapest Convention is a Council of Europe treaty that India has refused to sign.
  2. The UN Convention Against Cybercrime (2024) is the first global multilateral treaty to address cybercrime in over two decades.
  3. The Puttaswamy Judgment is primarily related to the regulation of cryptocurrency in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

Recent Posts

Start Yours at Ajmal IAS – with Mentorship StrategyDisciplineClarityResults that Drives Success

Your dream deserves this moment — begin it here.