India’s SIM-binding requirements will require messaging apps to remain continuously linked to the active SIM card associated with the mobile number used to identify an account. The objective is to curb fake accounts, online fraud and the misuse of Indian mobile numbers. However, claims that WhatsApp will stop working for all users from January 1, 2027, are incorrect. The compliance deadline for companies and the revised rules governing web sessions need to be distinguished from their potential impact on individual users.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed WhatsApp, Telegram and other messaging platforms to link their services to active SIM cards. Companies have been given until December 31, 2026, to comply with the requirements. The government has also withdrawn the mandatory six-hour logout requirement for web versions and adopted a risk-based approach.
SIM binding means that a messaging account must remain linked to the active SIM card associated with the mobile number used to identify the user. Under the DoT’s directions, the app must remain continuously linked to the SIM present in the device. Access to the service may be restricted if the SIM card is unavailable.
The requirement addresses situations in which an account is created using a verified mobile number, but the app continues to function even after the SIM card is removed or transferred to another phone.
The government has said that cybercriminals can exploit this gap to commit fraud using Indian mobile numbers. Such offences include investment fraud, impersonation of government officials and digital arrest scams. Keeping the SIM card continuously linked to the device and app is intended to maintain the connection between the use of a mobile number and an active connection. However, SIM binding does not guarantee the elimination of all forms of online fraud.
The DoT’s directions issued in November 2025 covered WhatsApp and Telegram, as well as Signal, Snapchat, Arattai, ShareChat, Josh and JioChat. The requirements are therefore not limited to just two messaging services.
These platforms must comply with the directions based on their use of Indian mobile numbers and the manner in which their services are provided.
The initial directions included a requirement for web versions of messaging apps to log users out at intervals of no more than six hours, after which users would have to link their accounts again.
However, information reported in April 2026 indicated that the government had withdrawn the mandatory fixed six-hour logout requirement and adopted a risk-based approach. Web or desktop sessions can now be terminated in cases involving suspected fraud, without a fixed six-hour logout interval.
Ordinary users are therefore not required to be automatically logged out every six hours. However, platforms may require users to complete verification again or relink a device for security reasons.
Users who operate affected messaging apps on phones that do not contain the SIM card associated with their registered number may need to change their device arrangements as the requirements are implemented. Those who use the SIM card and the messaging app on separate phones should check the relevant platform’s instructions.
The DoT has given companies until December 31, 2026, to comply. It would therefore be misleading to claim that every user’s messaging app will suddenly stop working on January 1, 2027. The deadline applies to company compliance, while the actual impact on users will depend on how platforms implement the requirements and whether the relevant active SIM card is present in the device.
No general restriction targeting a specific phone model has been announced.
Users should keep their registered mobile numbers active and check official notices from their messaging platforms. If a service stops working because the SIM card is unavailable, users should insert the correct SIM card and follow the app’s instructions. They should not verify their accounts through unfamiliar links or share one-time passwords (OTPs) with anyone.
The SIM-binding requirement is intended to strengthen security, but users must continue exercising caution to avoid online fraud.
The rules do not impose a ban on any specific phone brand or operating system. If a mobile number is deactivated or a SIM card is changed, users should clarify the status with their mobile operator. They should also check official app updates to understand the applicable procedures.
