The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs, held a high-level meeting with officials from Thailand to discuss pressing concerns in cybercrime enforcement and human exploitation across Southeast Asia.

The backdrop of the India-Thailand cybercrime discussion is a worsening humanitarian crisis. Scam compounds in countries like Cambodia and Myanmar—often fortified buildings run by organized crime rings—have reportedly coerced thousands, including Indian citizens, into digital fraud under threat of violence. Victims are lured with job offers, then trafficked and forced to operate romance scams, investment frauds, and fake tech support operations.

A UN report and media investigations have revealed that over 29,000 Indians may have fallen into such traps across Southeast Asia. India has been actively coordinating repatriation efforts, with over 360 citizens rescued from Cambodia in recent months.

Cybersecurity expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh lauded the I4C’s diplomatic engagement with Thailand, calling it a “milestone in global cybercrime mitigation.”

“Cybercrime doesn’t recognize borders. Whether it’s financial fraud or cyber slavery, international cooperation—sharing of data, intelligence, and joint task forces—is the only way forward,” said Singh, who has led multiple investigations into cross-border fraud and online exploitation.

He added that such bilateral engagements should go beyond dialogue and result in intelligence-sharing treaties and victim protection protocols.

The India-Thailand meeting marks a critical shift from reactive enforcement to preemptive strategy in the digital realm. As scam operations become increasingly global and intertwined with human trafficking, coordinated cross-border action will be essential.

With India’s I4C taking a leadership role in convening regional dialogues, experts hope this signals the start of a broader ASEAN-led cybercrime prevention initiative.