DoT Reportedly Extends SIM Binding Mandate Till the End of 2026

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is said to have extended the SIM-binding mandate till the end of the year. First announced in November 2025, the directive intends to curb digital fraud and identity misuse by ensuring that registered identities remain verifiable and linked to telecom subscriber records at all times. According to a report, social media platforms flagged implementation struggles, while smartphone makers also asked for more time to deploy the mandatory feature.

Firms Like Apple Said to Have Flagged Technical Constraints

Citing sources familiar with the matter, Moneycontrol reports that companies were individually informed about the extension of the SIM binding mandate deadline beginning March 30. “The department has extended the timeline and informed all stakeholders,” the publication quoted an anonymous source as saying.

Social media and instant messaging platforms like Signal, Telegram, and WhatsApp reportedly cited implementation challenges. Popular smartphone makers and operating system providers, including Apple and Google, had also appealed for an extended deadline. The report mentions that Apple pointed out technical constraints within the iOS system and sought more time as it worked on viable approaches.

WhatsApp's parent company, Meta, was reportedly in discussions with the DoT to settle on a technically feasible strategy. The instant messaging platform, is already working on adding support for SIM binding in India, in compliance with the DoT's directive. The functionality was first revealed to be in development in February, with suggestions that the app would inform users that it must check that their SIM card is present in their smartphone.

However, any such feature is still in the works and is yet to be rolled out in the public version of WhatsApp.

What Is SIM Binding?

Issued by the Department of Telecommunications, it is an amendment to the Telecommunication Cyber Security (TCS) Rules, 2024. The updated framework has been notified as the Telecommunication Cyber Security (TCS) Amendment Rules, 2025. The legislation requires that the messaging service implement a continuous SIM validation, where the user account is required to remain associated with the active SIM card that was in place at the time of registration. The DoT mandated a 90-day implementation period for service providers.

The scope of the mandate includes messaging services that come under the category of Telecommunication Identifier User Entities, or TIUEs. This includes popular messaging services like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Snapchat, and Messenger.

The move is said to be in a bid to curb the growing instances of digital impersonation, financial fraud, online scams, and misuse of identity, all carried out via messaging apps.