In a major overhaul of India’s digital security framework, the Modi government has introduced strict new rules that will make it impossible to use WhatsApp and other messaging apps without an active, verified SIM card.
Under the new Telecom Bill regulations, these platforms are now officially classified as Telecommunication Identifier User Entities (TIUEs). This means they must ensure that every user remains continuously linked to an active SIM within 90 days, closing the loophole that allowed apps to keep functioning even after the SIM was removed or deactivated.
Continuous SIM Binding: No More Anonymous App Access
Until now, you could authenticate your mobile number once, then continue using WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, or other apps indefinitely, even if your SIM expired, was removed, or replaced.
That is now over.
The government says persistent SIM binding will maintain critical traceability between the user, the number, and the device. In other words, every account must remain connected to a live, verified, active SIM.
This is intended to tackle misuse by scammers, cybercriminals, and extortion networks that typically exploit disconnected or cloned numbers.
Big Change for WhatsApp Web Users
For users who log in through a browser, things get tighter.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will now require messaging platforms to:
Log users out every 6 hours
Force reauthentication via a QR code
This shuts down long-duration browser sessions that criminals often rely on to avoid detection.
Why does this matter?
The government argues the rules close a major security gap. Remote access through inactive or unverified numbers has been a massive loophole exploited in:
Online fraud, Sextortion networks, Terror communications,
Drug trafficking, & Cross-border scams
By tying every session to an active SIM, the system becomes significantly harder to exploit anonymously.
With these new regulations, India signals a shift toward a more secure digital future where messaging apps fall under the same traceability norms as telecom operators.
The days of using messaging apps without an active SIM, or through long-running anonymous browser sessions, are over.
This is one of the biggest digital compliance moves India has seen in years, and it will reshape how millions use WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and similar platforms going forward.
