NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday issued a blunt warning against the growing menace of digital fraud and so-called “digital arrest” scams, flagging how ordinary people — from senior citizens to families saving for children’s education — are being duped of their hard-earned money by cyber criminals.Even as he cautioned people to stay vigilant and adhere to official banking processes, the PM used his monthly Mann Ki Baat address to spotlight a contrasting story of technology being used for national good — showcasing how artificial intelligence is helping India preserve, restore and reimagine its ancient knowledge systems for a global audience.In his monthly radio address, Modi said fraudsters were increasingly targeting innocent citizens.“In ‘Mann Ki Baat’, I have spoken to you at length about digital arrest… still such incidents are happening around us, that are unpardonable,” he said. “We often come to know that a senior citizen has been swindled of their lifelong earnings.”The PM cautioned people against fake calls, messages and links disguised as official communication. “Someone calls up and says, ‘I am a big officer. You have to share some details.’ After this, innocent people do just that,” he said, stressing that KYC or re-KYC should be completed “only through your bank branch, official app, and authorised medium”. He urged citizens not to share OTPs, Aadhaar numbers or bank account information, adding, “most importantly, keep changing your password from time to time.”Modi also highlighted how India is blending cutting-edge technology with its civilisational heritage, drawing from demonstrations at the recently held Global AI Impact Summit in Delhi. “Leaders from all over the world were amazed to see how, with the help of AI, we are preserving our ancient texts, our ancient knowledge, our manuscripts and adapting them for today’s generation,” he said.Citing the live demonstration of Sushruta Samhita, Modi explained the multi-step AI process showcased at the summit. “In the first step, it was shown how, with the help of technology, we are improving the image quality of manuscripts and making them readable,” he said.“In the second step, this image was converted into machine-readable text… the machine-readable text was read by an AI avatar… and further… this invaluable Indian knowledge can be translated into Indian and foreign languages,” Modi saidThe PM said global leaders had showed “great interest in learning about India’s ancient knowledge through a modern avatar”, underlining India’s growing confidence in pairing advanced AI tools with its cultural and intellectual legacy.
