India backs ITU proposal for joint trials to combat telecom fraud

India formally backed a proposal by the International Telecommunication Union to conduct cross-border joint trials designed to neutralize international telecom fraud and fake caller identities. During a roundtable at India Mobile Congress 2026, Union Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani called for global regulatory collaboration to counter scams, including AI voice cloning and deepfakes, which cost Indian citizens over ₹22,800 crore in 2024. Pemmasani emphasized that participating nations must establish ITU digital caller verification standards across international routes.

The push for global standards is driven by massive financial losses from cross-border scams, which India estimates its domestic mechanisms have helped prevent losses exceeding ₹5,000 crore over 15 months. The initiative seeks to shift telecommunications security from reactive enforcement to real-time threat mitigation through international cooperation.