Truecaller CEO says Trai cannot regulate IT intermediaries, warns of MeitY jurisdiction encroachment

Truecaller CEO Rishit Jhunjhunwala has objected to any move by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to expand its regulatory authority over IT intermediaries, saying such a step would encroach upon the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and could create wider regulatory uncertainty for India’s technology sector.

His remarks come amid an ongoing dispute between Truecaller and TRAI over the labelling of calls originating from the 1600 number series. Last week, TRAI asserted that no application can block calls from the 1600 series, which is reserved for communications from regulated entities and government agencies to citizens.