New Delhi, Apr 2: The government has extended the SIM‑binding deadline for messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal to December 31, following representations from industry players, officials said.
The SIM‑binding rule requires platforms to run only on a device with an active SIM card, to plug security loopholes exploited by cybercriminals in cross‑border digital frauds, including phishing, investment scams, digital‑arrest frauds, and government impersonation calls. The Department of Telecom (DoT) had earlier directed major apps to link services continuously to an active SIM from February 26 and to log out users from the web version after six hours, with compliance to be reported by March 28.
Under the revised approach, the mandatory six‑hour log‑out for web versions has been replaced with AI‑enabled, risk‑analysis‑based log‑outs. The DoT argues that binding every active account and web session to a live, KYC‑verified SIM restores traceability of numbers used in scams, while long‑lived web or desktop sessions let fraudsters control accounts remotely without the original device or SIM.
However, industry groups have pushed back, with the Broadband India Forum (BIF) challenging the legal validity of the SIM‑binding mandate, citing a legal opinion that termed the Telecom Cyber Security Amendment Rules, 2025, and related directions as “ultra vires” and “unconstitutional.” A Cuts International survey indicated that 80% of consumers and over 60% of small and medium businesses expect operational disruption under the original SIM‑binding norms, noting that 86% of users allow family members to use their phones or SIMs and 39% said the primary holder may not be present when authentication is needed—raising concerns about access delays and service disruption.
