SIM Binding: National Security Boost

New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Industry body COAI on Monday said Telecom Department's move mandating that messaging apps like WhatsApp will work only with an active SIM would bolster national security and safeguard citizens, and pledged telecom operators' commitment to supporting seamless implementation of the latest directive.

Such continuous linkage ensures complete accountability and traceability for any activity undertaken by the SIM card and its associated communication app, "closing long-persistent gaps that have enabled anonymity and misuse", COAI said in a statement.

"COAI welcomes and commends the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for taking a landmark step towards bolstering national security and safeguarding our citizens, by mandating SIM-binding for devices for app-based communication services," S P Kochhar, Director General of COAI, said in a statement.

The comment from the apex body, whose members include Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, comes in the backdrop of directions by the government that would ensure app-based communication services, the likes of WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, and others, are continuously linked to a user's active SIM card.

All players providing app-based communication services in India have been asked to submit compliance reports to the DoT within 120 days from the issue of the directions (that came on November 28). The department warned that failure to comply with norms will attract action under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, and other applicable laws.

The directive would impact how users access services of messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Arattai, Snapchat, Sharechat, Jiochat, Josh, in India, since it means that these messaging services would only work if the SIM is present and active in the user's device.

"COAI congratulates the Department of Communications, Government of India, on introducing this first in the world regulatory measure, wherein app-based communication services have been directed to be bound with the SIM for safety and consistency measures," the association said.

COAI said it has been strongly advocating for binding communication apps with mobile SIMs for strengthening national security and cyber fraud prevention, and believes that this is a much-needed initiative in ensuring consumer trust, accountability, traceability and further alignment with evolving regulatory frameworks.

"At present, app-based communication services link to a subscriber's mobile SIM card only once during initial installation and verification. Thereafter, these applications continue to function even if the SIM is removed, replaced or deactivated - creating significant scope for fraud," COAI noted.

The new directive mandates that all relevant communication apps ensure continuous linkage between the application and the SIM/phone number used for registration, thereby creating a more accountable digital environment by curbing anonymous misuse and protecting users in the online space, it further said.

COAI firmly believes that this mechanism will significantly reduce spam and fraudulent communications perpetrated through these platforms and help mitigate financial fraud.

"Telecom operators stand fully committed to supporting seamless implementation of this directive," COAI said.

Telecom operators, said COAI, have already instituted a very wide spectrum of initiatives to curb spam and fraudulent communication on SMSs and calls.

COAI urged DoT to recommend similar adherence to measures on app-based communication services too, so as to ensure maximum possible mitigation of risks for subscribers across all communication channels.

"Moreover, COAI urges DoT to engage with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to ensure that for all financial transactions, the primary factor of authentication should mandatorily be through SMS OTP, which continues to remain the most secure, operator verified channel with guaranteed traceability," it said, adding that this will create a consistent and secure authentication framework across the financial ecosystem, reducing the risk of fraud and reinforcing consumer trust.