The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Monday issued directions mandating the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi mobile application on all mobile handsets manufactured or imported for use in India.
According to the notification dated November 28, 2025, manufacturers and importers must ensure that the Sanchar Saathi app is clearly visible and accessible to users during the first use or device setup, and that its key functions are not hidden, disabled or restricted. For devices already manufactured and currently in the sales pipeline, companies have been asked to push the application through software updates.
DoT has set a 90-day deadline for implementation and has directed manufacturers and importers to submit compliance reports within 120 days.
Sanchar Saathi is an initiative of the Department of Telecommunications to curb cyber-enabled telecom fraud and strengthen cyber security in the communications sector. The portal and app allow citizens to verify handset authenticity using the IMEI number, report fraudulent communications, block lost or stolen phones, check active mobile connections under their name, and access trusted contact details of banks and financial institutions.
The Telecom Cyber Security (TCS) Rules authorize the central government to issue directions to manufacturers of equipment bearing IMEI numbers to support investigations involving tampered or fraudulent devices. The rules also require manufacturers and importers to ensure full compliance with directions issued by the government.
Duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers have been flagged as a serious concern in telecom cyber security. Cases of the same IMEI being used in multiple devices at different locations simultaneously have complicated enforcement actions. Growing misuse in the second-hand mobile market has also been observed, including attempts to resell stolen or blacklisted phones, often causing financial loss to unsuspecting buyers. Users can verify the status of blocked or blacklisted IMEI numbers through the Sanchar Saathi application.
