The Department of Telecommunications is set to enforce new SIM linked rules for messaging apps in India. The biggest immediate impact will be on WhatsApp Web, which will now log users out every six hours, breaking the seamless multi device experience many rely on.
What exactly is changing for WhatsApp and other messaging apps?
The Department of Telecommunications has issued a directive that will require platforms such as WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram to bind their services directly to the SIM card used during registration. Within 90 days, users will no longer be able to access these apps unless the original SIM is present in the device.
How will this affect WhatsApp Web?
This is the part that will disrupt daily use. Because the service must remain tied to the SIM in the phone, WhatsApp Web sessions will now be forcibly logged out every six hours. The DoT says this is necessary to prevent misuse of messaging apps for cyber fraud, but the change effectively removes the convenience of keeping WhatsApp Web running throughout the workday.
Why is the government enforcing SIM binding?
The rules flow from the Telecommunication Cybersecurity Amendment Rules, 2025, which introduced the idea of a Telecommunication Identifier User Entity. Essentially, any platform that uses mobile numbers to identify users must now ensure that the number is tied to an active SIM inside the device. Officials argue that cyber fraudsters exploit WhatsApp without having the SIM present, often from outside India. Forcing SIM binding gives the government a way to trace activity to a physical subscriber.
How does this impact the current verification system?
At present, apps send OTPs to verify identities. Under the new rules, platforms will need access to the IMSI stored on the SIM card. For global services like WhatsApp, this means re engineering parts of their system solely for Indian users. With more than 500 million users in India, this is not a minor tweak.
Who has received the directive?
The instructions have gone out to WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Arattai, Snapchat, Sharechat, and others. Each platform must submit a compliance report within four months.
Why is the industry worried?
Tech companies say constant SIM checks and six hour logouts will erode user privacy, break multi device convenience and complicate travel. International comparisons also do not help, since no other country imposes SIM linkage at this level. Telecom operators, however, support the move.
When does all this come into effect?
The directive gives companies 90 days to implement SIM binding. The forced six hour logout window for WhatsApp Web and other web companions will start once the platforms comply.
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