Overview
- The Department of Telecommunications issued the directive on November 28, 2025, and is positioning the rule to be operational from January 1, 2027 with a compliance deadline of December 31, 2026.
- Under the rule covered messaging services must verify that an account is linked to the KYC‑verified SIM used at registration and that the SIM is present in the device running the app.
- Platform and device makers are already making technical changes to comply, with reports of an iOS update to detect absent SIMs and WhatsApp testing SIM‑binding in Android beta builds.
- Users who run apps on Wi‑Fi‑only devices, use multi‑device setups, switch SIMs frequently, or travel abroad risk losing access depending on how each app checks for the registered SIM.
- The DoT dropped its earlier blanket six‑hour web‑logout rule in favor of risk‑based session logouts and immediate termination where fraud is suspected, but precise enforcement steps and device exemptions remain unclear and worth watching.