Union Home Minister Amit Shah has recently issued directions to the Cyber and Information Security (CIS) Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs to closely examine and recommend action against several lesser-known mobile applications that are reportedly being exploited by terror elements in India.
The instructions also include exploring possible bans on such applications to prevent misuse.
The CIS Division, established in 2017 alongside the Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation Division, was created to focus on issues related to terrorism, radicalisation, cyber security, cyber crime, and information security.
Shah’s directive comes amid growing concerns that certain encrypted mobile apps are facilitating smooth communication among terror networks, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to intercept them.
Directions Issued at National Security Strategies Conference
According to sources, Amit Shah issued the directions during the two-day ‘National Security Strategies Conference-2025’, organized by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in New Delhi in late July.
“After constituting a team of experts, the CIS Division is coordinating with central agencies to identify such mobile apps that are being used by terror elements for secure communication,” said a source familiar with the development.
These instructions come in the wake of findings from the investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians lost their lives. Investigators discovered that many local overground workers in Jammu and Kashmir were relying on lesser-known mobile apps to communicate securely.
Use of Encrypted Apps by Terror and Crime Networks
Officials point to several instances where encrypted apps have been misused to evade law enforcement. For example, gangster-turned-terrorist Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, arrested by the FBI in the United States in April, frequently used encrypted applications to avoid detection.
In multiple cases, the NIA has observed foreign-based accused adopting innovative methods to move funds and arms while concealing the source and destination.
They and their associates used secure communication channels — including Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Zangi, and BiP — to stay in touch and evade authorities,” an NIA official said.
Similarly, in a 2024 chargesheet related to a grenade attack on a retired Punjab Police officer’s house in Chandigarh, the NIA reported that the accused Rohan Masih admitted to connecting with Happy Passia through Instagram and later switching to encrypted apps such as Zangi Messenger, BiP Messenger, WhatsApp, and Snapchat — all of which have servers located outside India.
Formation of a Multi-Agency Platform
During the meeting, Amit Shah also directed the CIS Division to collaborate with the Intelligence Bureau to create a multi-agency platform similar to the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) — the IB’s counter-terrorism coordination grid.
The Ministry of Home Affairs should form a multi-agency platform including representatives from the Ministry of Electronics and IT, DRDO, defence organizations, and academic institutions. This platform will facilitate structured discussions to identify challenges posed by encrypted apps and propose both technical and legal solutions,” the official said.
Stricter Measures for Civil Aviation Safety
Separately, Shah also instructed the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Internal Security Division of MHA to review helicopter operations, especially where accidents occurred due to violations of standard operating procedures.
A separate monitoring mechanism should be devised to track such incidents. Norms for helicopter operations need to be strengthened to prevent lapses and ensure safety,” the official added.
This move by the Home Ministry highlights the increasing importance of cyber intelligence and coordinated action among multiple agencies to tackle the evolving threats posed by encrypted communication platforms, which are being exploited by terror and criminal networks in India.
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