India announces SIM-binding mandate for WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and other apps to curb fraud

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a sweeping new directive mandating SIM-binding for all app-based communication services, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Snapchat, ShareChat, JioChat, Josh and Arattai, as part of a broader push to curb telecom-related cybercrime and identity fraud.

The order, dated November 28, 2025, has been issued under the Telecommunications (Telecom Cyber Security) Rules, 2024, and explicitly aims to prevent the “misuse of telecommunication identifiers, equipment, networks or services”.

What the…