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India mandates SIM binding for WhatsApp and Telegram from Jan 1
India mandates SIM binding for WhatsApp and Telegram from Jan 1, 2027, to curb cross-border cyber frauds.
India's department of telecom mandated SIM binding for messaging apps starting January 1, 2027. Platforms including WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, and Signal must integrate accounts with live SIMs by December 31, 2026, to stop cyber frauds and digital arrest scams. Apple updated iOS to detect missing physical SIMs, while the department of telecom requires web instances to log out every six hours.
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India mandates SIM binding for WhatsApp and Telegram from Jan 1
India has made SIM binding mandatory for messaging applications effective January 1, 2027. The guidelines aim to curb cross-border cyber frauds, digital arrest scams, and phishing using Indian mobile numbers. Apple has already updated iOS with a software patch to detect iPhones operating without physical SIM cards to comply. While major platforms are adjusting, the government reports that Signal has not yet responded to notices.