THE DUAL ARCHITECTURE OF CYBER SOVEREIGNTY: ANALYZING INTERNATIONAL LEGAL TREATIES AND INDIA’S CYBERSECURITY FRAMEWORK

AUTHOR – ANKUSH SRIVASTAVA & DIVYANSHU KRISHNA

STUDENTS AT BABU BANARASI DAS UNIVERSITY

BEST CITATION – ANKUSH SRIVASTAVA & DIVYANSHU KRISHNA, THE DUAL ARCHITECTURE OF CYBER SOVEREIGNTY: ANALYZING INTERNATIONAL LEGAL TREATIES AND INDIA’S CYBERSECURITY FRAMEWORK, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (12) OF 2025, PG. 755-763, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344

ABSTRACT

The rapid expansion of digital networks has challenged the traditional notions of state sovereignty and international law. This paper explores the evolving dual structure of cyber sovereignty—balancing global cooperation in combating cybercrime and a nation’s right to assert control over its digital space. By comparing the Budapest Convention (2001) and the United Nations Cybercrime Convention (2024), it evaluates how differing treaty models address cross-border enforcement, data access, and human rights safeguards. The study further examines India’s domestic legal framework through the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, highlighting their intersection with international obligations. The research underscores key judicial pronouncements such as Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015) and Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017), which redefined digital rights within India’s constitutional matrix. Ultimately, this analysis reveals that India’s cyber governance emphasizes sovereignty and privacy protection but faces challenges in harmonizing global cooperation with national autonomy in cyberspace.

KEYWORDS – Sovereignty, Cybersecurity, International Law, Budapest Convention, UN Cybercrime Convention, India Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act), Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act), Privacy, Free Speech, Digital Rights, Digital Evidence, CERT-In, Data Protection Board of India (DPBI)