New Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI): As modern fraudulent operations bypass singular jurisdictions and communication systems, COAI Vice Chairman Ravi P. Gandhi noted that addressing fraudster activity requires cooperation across institutions, including the government, the sector regulator, and telecom operators.
Speaking at CO.AI 2026, an initiative organised by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and the UK Government, Gandhi said, "Today fraud rarely remains confined to one geography, one technology, one network. These are spread across geographies. There that's where the cooperation between various entities becomes extremely important so that no platform is misused by the fraudsters or the scammers."
He noted that while service providers enforce security measures on networks, safeguarding subscribers requires coordinated interventions from enterprise platforms, law enforcement, and financial conduits.
"Telecom operators have been playing very very important role in protection of frauds, but at the same time the other entities like digital platforms, enterprises, financial institutions, government agencies, etc. also have to play the same role while everyone sees the problem in a different way and different lens, but at the end of the day all have to come together, join hands and solve it for the consumer and the public," he stated.
Gandhi highlighted the bilateral collaboration between the Indian telecommunications industry and the United Kingdom through the British High Commission, pointing out that digital adoption demands proportional consumer safety frameworks.
"Both India and the UK have strong interest in ensuring that the growth of digital services is accompanied with greater trust and stronger consumer protection. That's one of the most important things when we [serve] billions of customers," Gandhi remarked.
The association, which represents Indian telecommunications providers covering approximately 95 per cent of the domestic subscriber base, entered into an official pact with British authorities during the conference. The engagement focuses on technical exchange, regulatory dialogue, and counter-fraud systems.
"COAI brings together India's leading telecom operator... who can create constructive dialogue among industry, with government, with regulators, and with the wider digital ecosystem. On the other side, if you see, the UK brings significant experience in the areas of fraud prevention, serious organized crime... protection, cyber resilience, or technology or consumer protection," Gandhi said.
He outlined that the bilateral initiative applies analytical tools to intercept syndicated activity across borders, with particular focus on automated detection mechanisms.
"Bringing these capabilities together gives us an opportunity to exchange knowledge, strength, institutional coordination and explore new technologies such as artificial intelligence," Gandhi said, noting discussions centered on "AI and its role in fraud prevention and spam prediction."
To operationalise the pact, both sides agreed to execute a formal bilateral accord following the deliberations.
"It gives the engagement between COAI and the British High Commission a framework for continued cooperation beyond today's event. It is not limited only to today's event, particularly in the areas of fraud and scam prevention," Gandhi stated, acknowledging British High Commissioner to India Ben Mellor for supporting the bilateral initiative. (ANI)
Cooperation across institutions crucial to combat tech-enabled fraud: COAI Vice Chair
