In India, apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and others are widely used for messaging. But due to the rising cases of cyber fraud
and online crimes, the Indian government has introduced strict new rules for messaging apps.
SIM Card Must Be Active
Under the new cyber security rules of the central government, no messaging app will work without an active SIM card in the phone.
This means that if a user removes their SIM card, the app will immediately stop working.
The government explained that criminals often remove the original SIM and commit fraud online using fake numbers, VPNs, and fake accounts. These new rules aim to prevent such misuse.
Apps Affected by the Rule
The guidelines apply to most messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, ShareChat, GChat, Josh, and any app that uses a mobile number.
Responsibilities of Companies
The Department of Telecommunications, under the Telecommunications Cybersecurity Amendment Rules 2025, has made it mandatory for companies to ensure that a user’s account remains active only when the SIM is present in the device.
Any app running in the background without a SIM should automatically log out.
Changes for WhatsApp Web
This rule also applies to WhatsApp Web. The web version will now automatically log out every six hours.
Users will need to scan the QR code from their phone to log in again. Messaging app companies have been given 90 days to implement this system.
Earlier, apps required OTP verification only once during installation.
After that, they continued to work even if the SIM was removed. Cybercriminals exploited this loophole, which the new rules now aim to close.
