China's cyber playbook: Growing threat of censorship-as-a-service in India

For years, global markets have questioned the impact of China's competitive strategies—often aided by state support—across industries ranging from consumer electronics to heavy machinery.

- DIWAKAR DAYA

Yet, beneath the surface of traditional exports lies an equally formidable engine: a domestic cybersecurity ecosystem with growing regional influence. Nowhere is this more evident than in India, where Beijing's technological reach increasingly shapes digital governance frameworks.

In India, this highlights citizens' awareness of digital regulations, particularly following the 2008 amendment to the IT Act, which governs online content and cybersecurity. This amendment to the 2000 law allows central and state governments to punish or censor people for publishing or messaging unwanted or inflammatory content.

Unlike typical software export stories, Sentinel Labs recently revealed how Chinese tech firms offer legitimate services to civilians while providing Censorship-as-a-Service (CaaS) to governments, raising critical concerns about transparency and market fairness.

If a cybersecurity firm can deliver standard Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) solutions to private customers while enabling government content-monitoring platforms, it significantly alters the risk landscape for businesses operating in India. Companies striving to protect customer data may unknowingly operate within a broader ecosystem where state-backed actors leverage CaaS to control digital narratives, creating new risks for enterprises navigating this market.

As if procuring technology was not already challenging enough, businesses must now scrutinize potential partners for hidden ties to clandestine monitoring operations, ensuring their security strategies do not inadvertently expose them to state-driven digital influence campaigns.

THE TOPSEC LEAK: UNVEILING THE DUAL-USE THREAT Sentinel Labs' report, Censorship as a Service | Leak Reveals Public-Private Collaboration to Monitor Chinese Cyberspace, centers on leaked work logs from Beijing-based TopSec.