Modernisation of India's police forces not up to mark: Kiren Rijiju

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said he would "admit" to the fact that modernisation of the country's police forces was not up to the mark even as he talked about the need for India to secure its digital payments brought out post note ban.

"We really need to update our policing system. I am admitting to the fact, that we are not yet up to the mark in terms of modernisation of our police forces in India. We need to look into that," the Minister said at an event here.

He said that the rapid development of digital technologies and wide range of services in cyberspace are raising serious concerns for the government as the country embarks on a journey towards cashless economy.

"India needs to secure its digital payments, put everything on secure networks to provide secure payments to its citizens and it is not an easy task. In the MHA we keep updating ourselves. I can clearly see the challenges and which is not going to be easy for all of us.

"This rapid development of digital technologies and wide range of services provided for activities in cyberspace raises issues of serious concern for the government," Rijiju said during an event here on Cyber Security by Uday India and Var India magazines.

Rijiju said securing financial modes of payment through digital means is the need of the hour.

He said cyber crimes pose a direct threat to the security of critical infrastructure and IT (Information Technology) and with the advancement of IT, crime now knows no jurisdiction or national boundaries.

"The very nature of internet allows for unprecedented collaboration and interaction among particular communities of criminals and this I can record to the latest challenge of ISIS which we are facing in India. Just 10 or 15 years back, we would have been sitting quietly here.