Relief for Apps like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram: DoT Extends SIM Binding Deadline

The government has provided relief to instant messaging platforms and social media apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal. According to reports, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has extended the deadline for implementing SIM binding.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has extended the deadline for SIM binding, thereby granting relief to social media and instant messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram. Recently, the government mandated SIM binding as a measure to curb digital fraud and identity misuse. This regulation was notified in November of last year (2025), with instructions for social media companies to implement it within the subsequent 90 days. However, the government has now extended this deadline.

To Be Implemented by the End of 2026

According to reports, the Department of Telecommunications has now set a deadline of the end of 2026 for the implementation of this rule. The objective of SIM binding is to ensure that social media platforms, instant messaging apps, dating apps, and similar services verify a user’s identity through their mobile number and SIM card. Just as banking and UPI apps function only on the specific device containing the SIM card associated with that mobile number, social media and instant messaging platforms will now be required to undergo a similar verification process.

Why Was the Deadline Extended?

Social media platforms such as Meta, Telegram, and Signal informed the Department of Telecommunications that implementing this measure presents various technical challenges, which could result in delays before the feature becomes fully operational. According to reports, the government decided to extend the implementation timeline in response to the requests made by these social media platforms.

The social media platforms conveyed to the DoT that implementing this feature is not a straightforward task. It necessitates technical modifications within the mobile operating systems themselves. Operating system developers—specifically Apple and Google—had also requested the Department of Telecommunications to extend the deadline to accommodate the necessary changes to their operating systems. Comprehensive testing of this feature is a prerequisite for its full-scale implementation, a process for which additional time is required.

Social Media Platforms Undergoing Testing

Companies such as Meta, Snapchat, and Telegram are collaborating with the DoT to enable a ‘SIM binding’ feature. According to reports, WhatsApp has already begun working on this feature. Under this system, the app will prompt the user to confirm that the SIM card associated with their mobile number is physically present in the very same device used to create the account or access the app. This WhatsApp feature is currently in the internal beta testing phase, and a public beta version may soon be made available for testing.

Similarly, companies that develop mobile operating systems may release patches for their OS related to this feature. Following this, platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram will be able to verify that the SIM card corresponding to the mobile number being used for an account is indeed inserted into that specific device.