SIM-binding compliance deadline extended to December 31: Telecom minister

NEW DELHI: The Department of Telecommunication said that the SIM-binding directive, which mandates messaging platforms to provide their services on a mobile device only if there is an active SIM available, or for web versions of apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal to be logged out after six hours, has been extended to December 31, 2026.

Earlier, the compliance deadline for the rules was March 2026.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Telecom Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said that the web services of mobile apps are required to be logged out based on risk-based analysis, and the government has not specified any fixed time period for the logout.