India rallies global forces to combat digital piracy at Hyderabad conference

Hyderabad, July 10 (IANS) Digital piracy is no longer just about unauthorised content; it's an emerging front in organised cybercrime that demands collective action.

This was the central message from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the two-day conference “Securing the Future of Creativity,” held at the Indian School of Business (ISB) in Hyderabad on July 9-10, 2025. S Veeresh Prabhu, Joint Director of the CBI, opened the event by warning that digital piracy is deeply intertwined with criminal networks and needs a coordinated response across law enforcement, academia, and industry.

He emphasised the need for a proactive strategy, investigative skill-building, and public awareness to address the threat.

The conference, jointly hosted by CBI, ISB, and INTERPOL, began with addresses from Prabhu and Professor Manish Gangwar, Executive Director of the ISB Institute of Data Science.

Gangwar highlighted the critical role of data science in tracking and disrupting digital piracy networks.

In his keynote, Rajeev Sharma, Director General of Police, Rajasthan, reinforced the urgency, calling on law enforcement to enhance technical capabilities and foster stronger partnerships with academic and commercial sectors.

Across two packed days, the event convened senior law enforcement officials, cybercrime analysts, legal experts, researchers, and media professionals.

Discussions ranged from the growing nexus between piracy and malware to the economic strain on India’s online video platforms and the legal complexity of prosecuting digital piracy cases.

Specialised sessions tackled issues like music piracy and INTERPOL’s cross-border strategies to dismantle online piracy infrastructures.

Industry leaders and global experts stressed that technology alone cannot resolve the piracy crisis.

Speakers repeatedly emphasised the importance of training investigative personnel and launching public education initiatives to create a culture of digital accountability. INTERPOL showcased international best practices, reinforcing the power of a collective, transnational response.

The conference concluded with a consensus: defending creative ecosystems in the digital age requires more than just enforcement—it demands robust collaboration, innovative thinking, and sustained public engagement.

With piracy becoming increasingly sophisticated, India's approach must be equally dynamic, uniting knowledge, technology, and policy to protect creative expression and economic integrity.

--IANS

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