India Defers SIM-Binding Rules for Messaging Apps
DoT delays controversial rules after industry pushback over compliance burden and user disruption.
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India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has deferred enforcement of its SIM-binding directions for app-based communication platforms until 31 December, The Economic Times reported, citing people aware of the matter.
The original directions, issued late last year, required major app-based communication services to ensure that their services remained continuously linked to the active SIM card in a user’s device and to implement the measure within 90 days. They also required compliance reporting within 120 days.
The same directions required web or desktop instances to be logged out periodically, no later than every six hours.
DoT said the rules applied to major app-based communication services including WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, Arattai, ShareChat, Josh, JioChat and Signal.
The department said the feature allowing such services to function even when the associated SIM is no longer present in the device was being misused for cyber fraud, including from outside the country.
Under the revised approach now under consideration, the government may replace the blanket six-hour logout requirement for web access with a risk-based model under which logout would be triggered only when a connection raises red flags, the report said.
The directions had drawn opposition from industry groups. In a statement issued on 2 December, Broadband India Forum said it had “serious concern” about the order, arguing that it mandated continuous SIM linkage and forced periodic six-hour logouts for web and desktop versions of messaging services.
Industry criticism also focused on disruption to users and technical feasibility, including whether mobile operating systems would allow apps to verify SIM status on a continuous basis.
DoT said non-compliance with the SIM-binding directions could invite action under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024.
