Hand holding a phone displaying a calendar date, with a government building in the background.
The Indian government has extended the deadline for compliance with SIM-binding measures to December 31, following requests from industry players. The original rules, issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in December 2025, required messaging apps to continuously link to a user’s SIM card.
According to a PTI report, the DoT has removed the mandatory six-hour logout rule for web versions of apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. Instead, user logouts will be based on AI-enabled risk analysis by messaging platforms.
The directive stems from the Telecommunication Cybersecurity Amendment Rules, 2025, expanding the telecom regulator’s scope to include messaging platforms. These platforms must ensure users can only access services on devices with the SIM card used for registration.
Digital intermediaries have raised concerns, warning that strict enforcement could disrupt legitimate usage, especially for users traveling abroad or accessing messaging platforms across multiple devices. The Broadband India Forum argued the rule may exceed the DoT’s powers and suggested alternative measures, such as stricter SIM-KYC enforcement and better coordination among telecom operators, financial institutions, and law enforcement agencies.
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