From Jan 1, WhatsApp, Telegram won’t work without SIM cards, govt issues guidelines

NEW DELHI: India has made SIM binding mandatory from Jan 1, 2027, and the move will mean that messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram will not work without a SIM card in the smartphone. The department of telecom has issued guidelines requiring messaging platforms to integrate the accounts with live SIMs used for registration by Dec 31, 2026. If the SIM is removed, replaced or deactivated, the app’s functionality will stop until a valid SIM is reinserted.The move is to curb cross-border cyber frauds, phishing, digital arrest scams using Indian mobile numbers and enhance telecom cyber security. Apple has updated iOS with a software patch to help detect when an iPhone is operating without a physical SIM card to abide with the rules. It is learnt Signal has not yet responded to govt notices.From Jan 1, messaging services to be used will have to ensure a registered SIM card is installed in a device. This is likely to impact users of WhatsApp or Telegram over Wi-Fi without registered SIMs. And also those who use more than one device or frequently change their SIM cards.Last Nov, DoT had issued the rules after finding “that some app-based communication services utilising Indian mobile numbers for identification of its customers allows users to consume their services without availability of the underlying subscriber identity module (SIM) within the device in which app-based communication services is running. This feature is being misused to commit cyber-frauds especially from outside the country,” a statement read.

To curb this menace, many govt agencies had been asking for SIM binding to be made mandatory. Subsequently, DoT issued directions to major app-based communication services, under the Telecom Cyber Security (TCS) Rules, 2024. These include WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, Arattai, Sharechat, Jiochat and Signal.Now, app-based communication providers will have to ensure that their service is “continuously linked to the SIM card (associated with mobile number used for identification of customers/users or for provisioning or delivery of services) installed in the device, making it impossible to use the app without that specific, active SIM.” And also ensure that “web service instance of the mobile app, if provided, shall be logged out periodically (not later than six hours) and allowing the facility to the user to re-link the device using QR code.”