Experts Warn India’s Digital Surveillance System Threatens Privacy and Democracy

A report in The Washington Post has highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s government-run digital surveillance systems, warning that these policies pose serious risks to citizens’ privacy and the future of democracy, with implications extending beyond the country’s borders.

The article, written by Indian journalist Rana Ayyub, notes that authorities have built a parallel digital infrastructure that allows for the mass collection, analysis, and storage of communication data without transparent legal oversight.

According to Ayyub, the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has developed systems enabling authorities to access phone records, messages, images, and network data on a wide scale. A recent British study ranks India low on international indices for citizen privacy protection, with performance approaching countries like China and Russia, traditionally criticized for weak privacy safeguards.

The article details how India’s biometric identification system, Aadhaar, originally intended to facilitate social welfare programs, has been integrated into everyday life. Fingerprints and iris scans are linked to banking services, tax filings, mobile numbers, and digital platforms, allowing authorities to create detailed profiles of citizens’ identities and behaviors.

Concerns have grown over the use of advanced spyware, including reports in 2023 that Israeli software Pegasus targeted journalists and political opponents. Ayyub points out that India’s surveillance operations are managed by a small team of seven AI and digital intelligence specialists, operating under executive orders rather than legislation, which limits judicial and parliamentary accountability.

Experts warn that the widespread monitoring of citizens’ activities threatens democratic principles, particularly by placing political opponents under constant observation. Researcher Shoshana Zuboff notes that democracy erodes when citizens live under continuous surveillance.

The article concludes that India presents a paradox: an electoral democracy with independent courts, free media, and active civil society, yet home to one of the world’s most extensive surveillance systems. The situation raises growing concerns about the sustainability of democratic freedoms, both in India and globally.