CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team): It operates under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Under Section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, MeitY is the ultimate statutory administrative body empowered to issue official directives to block websites or applications. As part of this mechanism, a designated committee containing representatives from vital wings—including CERT-In—reviews complaints, conducts technical assessments of security flaws or threats, and facilitates the execution of these blocking orders to Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Why the other options are incorrect:
National Security Agency / National Investigation Agency (NIA): While these are elite central agencies dealing with national security and counter-terrorism investigations, they do not possess direct statutory executive power under the IT Act to issue internet-blocking directives to ISPs. They must route their intelligence or requests through MeitY's designated nodal channels.
National Cyber Security Division: This division deals primarily with national policies, cyber crime coordination guidelines, and structural frameworks (like the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre - I4C under the Ministry of Home Affairs), but the formal, binding legal authority to command the blocking of public online data rests strictly with MeitY under Section 69A.
