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INDIA: THE KINGDOM OF SNOOP!

Be assured you are never alone!
India has been employing various mass surveillance projects for many years. Below is an overview of some of these initiatives:
Indian Mass Surveillance Projects

DRDO Netra
DRDO NETRA is a mass surveillance system developed by the Center for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics (CAIR), a laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). This system is designed to detect specific keywords such as “bomb,” “blast,” “attack,” or “kill” within seconds from emails, instant messages, status updates, and tweets. It is also capable of analyzing suspicious voice traffic on platforms like Skype and Google Talk.

In late 2013, Project Black Knight was launched to enhance DRDO NETRA’s capabilities. This project focused on monitoring social media trends and tracing the sources of viral messages that could disrupt global tranquility. Though details remain scarce, it is rumored that engineers involved later established a private organization. This group allegedly conducts social media analysis on Indian and foreign subjects by tapping fiber optic cables both in India and abroad, including cybertapping infrastructure on the main internet communication cable in Mongolia, which connects China to the rest of the world.


Lawful Intercept and Monitoring Project (LIM)
The Lawful Intercept and Monitoring (LIM) program is a clandestine electronic surveillance initiative developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), a government-owned telecommunications technology center. LIM systems allow the Indian government to intercept a wide range of data, including:
  • Voice calls
  • SMSs
  • GPRS data
  • Subscriber application and recharge history
  • Call Detail Records (CDR)
  • Internet traffic, emails, web browsing, Skype, and other online activities of Indian users
Mobile operators deploy their own LIM systems, enabling the government to intercept calls after obtaining “due authorization” under Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act and Rule 419(A) of the IT Rules. For internet monitoring, LIM systems are installed at the international gateways of major Internet Service Providers (ISPs), positioned between the ISP’s Internet Edge Router (PE) and the core network. These systems are fully controlled by the government, and their operations remain secretive, even to the ISPs.

National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC)
The National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) is a proposed cybersecurity and e-surveillance project in India. Its objectives include:
  • Screening communication metadata
  • Coordinating intelligence-gathering efforts among various agencies
Currently, the NCCC lacks a legal framework and parliamentary oversight, raising concerns about potential violations of Indian citizens’ privacy and civil liberties.

Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring (TERM) Project
Formerly known as Vigilance Telecom Monitoring (VTM), the Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring (TERM) unit serves as the vigilance and monitoring wing of the Indian Department of Telecommunications (DoT). TERM Cells are responsible for:
  • Vigilance
  • Network monitoring and security
  • Operating the Central Monitoring System
  • Other related functions
Central Monitoring System (CMS) Project
The Central Monitoring System (CMS) is another surveillance initiative managed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT). It enables centralized monitoring of telecommunications and internet activities across India, further expanding the government’s surveillancecapabilities.

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