India and Indonesia sign UN Cybercrime Convention as support passes 90 states

India and Indonesia have joined more than 90 states that have signed the UN Convention against Cybercrime, adding support for the first comprehensive global treaty dedicated to international cooperation on cybercrime.

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister signed the Convention at UN headquarters in New York on 24 September 2026, followed by India’s External Affairs Minister the next day. Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry said the country would now prepare for ratification and work towards implementing the treaty in national law.

Indonesia joins several other ASEAN members that have signed, including Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

Adopted by the UN General Assembly on 24 December 2024, the Convention establishes a framework for cooperation on transnational cybercrime, including the sharing of electronic evidence related to serious crimes. It also contains human rights safeguards and specifically addresses sexual violence against children committed through information and communication technologies.

However, the treaty has faced criticism from civil society organisations. A coalition of more than 20 digital rights and human rights groups, including Access Now, Human Rights Watch, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, ARTICLE 19 and Privacy International, has called on governments not to sign or ratify it without stronger safeguards.

The groups have raised concerns about the Convention’s broad scope, the potential for cross-border data access and surveillance powers to be misused, and the absence of a mechanism to suspend states that systematically disregard human rights or the rule of law. The EFF has also highlighted concerns about data retention and the criminalisation of IT security researchers.

Despite the growing number of signatories, the Convention has a longer path to entry into force. Qatar, Azerbaijan and Vietnam are currently parties to the treaty. It requires 40 ratifications or accessions to enter into force and remains open for signature until 31 December 2026.

Signing does not, by itself, make the Convention binding on a state. Signatories must complete their domestic procedures and deposit an instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval with the UN Secretary-General. States that do not sign before the deadline can still join through accession.

India participated in the negotiations and advocated stronger arrangements for cross-border data access and a 24/7 cooperation network. The BRICS leaders’ New Delhi Declaration in September also encouraged states to sign and ratify the Convention and work towards its early entry into force.

The latest signatures expand the group of states backing the treaty, but its practical effect will depend on ratification, implementation and how its cooperation provisions and human rights safeguards are applied.