Modi Govt Eases ‘Make in India’ Norms to Procure Israeli Spyware Linked to Palestinian Suppression
The Indian government has granted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) a special exemption to purchase a phone-unlocking tool developed by the Israeli tech firm Cellebrite. This software, previously used for surveillance and data extraction targeting Palestinian detainees, was acquired after Central Home Minister Amit Shah approved a relaxation of the official ‘Make in India’ policy. Investigative findings released by the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) reveal that state governments led by the opposition Congress party in Kerala, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh have also actively pursued this controversial technology alongside federal agencies.
According to the IFF report, a comprehensive review of public procurement records from Indian tech and security agencies indicates that the NIA, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), and the Department of Military Affairs have all acquired data extraction tools from Cellebrite. A Ministry of Home Affairs document dated January 20, 2026, confirms that Home Minister Amit Shah personally signed off on the approval on January 17. Following this executive clearance, the NIA awarded a contract worth ₹4,97,99,515 to M/S Nextechno Gen Private Limited to provide a three-year license for Cellebrite’s most advanced ‘Premium Tool’.
Technical specifications outlined in the procurement documents show that the tool can bypass complex passcodes, extract complete file systems from supported Android and iOS devices, and break into protected security layers such as Samsung Secure Folder, Huawei Private Space, and Xiaomi Second Space. Further details show that the SFIO entered into an agreement in March 2026 for the ‘Cellebrite Digital Collector and Inspector’. Additionally, the Department of Military Affairs invited tenders for Cellebrite’s ‘InSight’ extraction services, contributing to 15 procurement listings across 11 separate tenders issued by Indian agencies in 2026.
Cellebrite maintains close operational ties with the Israeli defense establishment and specializes in software designed to breach security protocols on mobile devices and computers. A report by the American Friends Service Committee highlights that Israeli forces deployed this technology against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank to extract private phone data during detainment operations. The findings also note that the firm received support from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop mapping technologies for underground tunnels in Gaza, underscoring the deep integration of its forensic capabilities within a high-profile military context.
State governments have similarly engaged with the Israeli firm, with IFF uncovering tenders from the Himachal Pradesh Home Department, the Directorate of Forensic Services, and the Karnataka State Police. Kerala’s Home Department executed a ₹99.99 lakh contract with Alibi Global Private Limited for extraction services, raising procedural concerns that third-party contractors, rather than sworn police officers, are cracking devices. Meanwhile, Karnataka Police requested technical maintenance for legacy systems, and agencies in Himachal Pradesh issued bids for the specialized ‘InSight Online Pro’ licensing suite.
The participation of Congress-governed states stands in sharp contrast to the national party leadership’s vocal opposition to Israel’s military actions. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, along with senior figures Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, has repeatedly denounced Israeli military aggression in Gaza. Sonia Gandhi forcefully criticized the central administration, describing the Modi government’s policy stance as morally untenable. Yet state administrations under Congress governance continue to allocate public resources to procure data extraction software directly from the Israeli manufacturer.
In its concluding analysis, the IFF raised serious alarms over the total absence of statutory safeguards or public regulatory frameworks governing digital forensic extraction in India. Pointing to documented misuses by Amnesty International’s Security Lab and Citizen Lab in Serbia, Jordan, and Kenya, the organization urged the Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police to publish operational access logs, retention rules, and legal safeguards. The IFF specifically demanded full disclosure regarding whether forensic unlocking tools were deployed on devices seized from environmental and political protestors in Delhi during October 2026.
