New data from the National Crime Records Bureau shows a steep rise in cybercrime incidents across India, especially cases carried out through mobile phones and computers. The report highlights how the scale of digital offences has grown at a fast pace and is now a major concern for central and state authorities.
According to the written reply shared in the Rajya Sabha by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, India reported more than 52,000 cybercrime cases in 2021. This number reached over 86,000 in 2023, reflecting the rapid growth of digital threats.
Regional figures show large differences across northern India. Haryana registered 751 cases in 2023, the highest in the region. Himachal Pradesh reported 127 cases, rising sharply from 77 the previous year. Punjab noted a decline with 511 cases in 2023 compared to 697 in 2022. Among the northern Union Territories, Delhi reported 407 cases, followed by Jammu and Kashmir with 185 and Chandigarh with 23.
To improve cyber forensic capacity, the Ministry of Home Affairs supported 20 states and Union Territories under the Nirbhaya funded scheme. Punjab received Rs 7.98 crore between 2018 and 2019, and Himachal Pradesh received Rs 7.29 crore.
Growing digital threats in the Asia Pacific region add to these concerns. Cyble’s Monthly Threat Landscape Report for July 2025 shows India continues to be a major target for ransomware groups. The Warlock ransomware group attacked an India based manufacturing company and stole HR files, financial records, design archives and internal repositories. Dark web forums also displayed leaked data belonging to two Indian companies, a technology consulting firm and a subscription based SaaS platform.
Unauthorized access to an Indian telecom network was advertised for sale for USD 35,000 with credentials, CLI access and network details. Other countries in the region including Thailand, Japan and Singapore recorded 6 ransomware victims each, with India and the Philippines close behind. Most attacks focused on manufacturing, government and critical infrastructure sectors. South Asia also saw hacktivist activity, with the pro India Team Pelican Hackers claiming attacks on major Pakistani research and academic institutions.
Globally, July 2025 reported 423 ransomware victims, with the United States accounting for 223. Qilin ransomware was the most active with 73 victims, followed by INC Ransom with 59. Cyble’s sensors tracked more than 1,000 daily attacks on United States industrial control systems. The United Kingdom, Vietnam, China, Singapore and Hong Kong also witnessed high targeting. A growing market for zero day exploits increased risks further, with vulnerabilities in WinRAR and major VPN platforms sold for USD 80,000 to 1 BTC.
Findings from the India Threat Landscape Report 2024 underline the serious situation. In the first half of 2024, India recorded 593 cyberattacks, 388 data breaches, 107 data leaks and 39 ransomware incidents. These figures show the urgent need for stronger threat intelligence across tactical, operational, strategic and technical layers.
AI powered monitoring and autonomous cybersecurity tools can support organisations in reinforcing their defences and improving their cyber readiness.
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