New Delhi, – If you remove your SIM card and still use WhatsApp on Wi-Fi, that habit is about to end very soon. The Government of India has issued strict orders to WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and other messaging apps: from now on, these apps will only work if the original registered SIM card is physically present and active in the phone.
If the companies do not make this change within 90 days, their services can be blocked in India.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued this notification on 28 November 2025. In simple words: the phone number you used to create your WhatsApp account must stay inside the phone all the time. No SIM = No WhatsApp.
A senior DoT officer told reporters, “Many cyber criminals register Indian numbers on WhatsApp, leave the SIM in India, and run the app from foreign countries. Tracing them becomes almost impossible. This new rule will close that loophole.”
What Exactly is Changing? Explained in Very Simple Language
Right now:
- You install WhatsApp → enter your number → get OTP → account is created.
- After that, you can remove the SIM, connect to Wi-Fi, and WhatsApp keeps working forever (even on tablets, iPads, or laptops).
After the new rule (from February 2026):
- WhatsApp will keep checking every few minutes whether the original SIM card is inside the phone and active.
- The check will check through something called IMSI (a unique code printed on every SIM).
- If the SIM is removed, lost, swapped, or inactive → WhatsApp will stop working immediately.
- WhatsApp Web (on laptop/desktop) will automatically log out every 6 hours. You will have to scan the QR code again with the phone that has the active SIM.
Why is the Government Bringing This Rule?
India has become the cyber fraud capital of the world. According to government data:
- More than 1.5 lakh cyber fraud cases were reported in 2024 alone.
- Most “digital arrest”, fake loan, investment, and sextortion scams happen through WhatsApp and Telegram.
Criminals do this trick:
- Buy an Indian SIM on fake ID → create WhatsApp account → sell or hide the SIM in India → run WhatsApp from China, Nigeria, or Dubai.
- Indian police can only trace the SIM location, not the real criminal sitting abroad.
The new SIM-binding rule will stop this fraud completely because the app will only work where the SIM actually is.
Director General of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), Lt. Gen. Dr SP Kochhar said, “Linking the app permanently with the SIM will create a strong chain of trust – user → number → device. Spam and financial fraud will drop sharply.”
What Will Happen to Normal Users Like You and Me?
Good news: 99% of people keep their SIM in their phone all the time, so they won’t feel any difference.
Bad news for some people:
- Students who use WhatsApp on tablet without SIM → will stop working. People who keep two phones (one for calls, one only Wi-Fi for WhatsApp) → second phone will stop. Travelling abroad? If you put a local foreign SIM, your Indian WhatsApp will stop unless you keep international roaming ON (very costly). Office workers using WhatsApp Web whole day → every 6 hours you will have to pick up phone and scan QR code again.
One angry user wrote on social media, “Security is fine, but why make life difficult for honest people? What will happen on foreign trips?”
Official Statements from Important People Gave Today
| Name & Position | What They Said |
|---|---|
| DoT Official (name not disclosed) | “This is only to stop cross-border cyber crime. Normal users have nothing to worry about.” |
| Lt. Gen. Dr SP Kochhar – COAI DG | “Mobile number is the most trusted identity in India today. SIM binding is the strongest solution.” |
| Nikhil Pahwa – Internet Freedom Foundation | “Good for security, but privacy will take a hit. Government will now know exactly which device is using which number 24×7.” |
| Prasanto K Roy – Tech Policy Expert | “Criminals will just buy new SIMs on fake IDs. Real solution is faster police action, not troubling 500 million honest users.” |
Timeline – Mark These Dates
- 28 November 2025 → DoT issued notification
- Within 90 days (by 26 February 2026) → All apps must add SIM-binding feature
- Within 120 days → Companies have to submit compliance report
- After February 2026 → If any app still works without active SIM → can be blocked in India
Which Apps Will Be Affected?
Not only WhatsApp – every app that uses Indian mobile number for login:
- Telegram
- Signal
- Snapchat
- ShareChat
- Josh
- JioChat
- Truecaller (partly)
- All OTP-based apps
FAQs – Your Questions Answered in Simple Language
Q1. Will my WhatsApp stop tomorrow?
No. You have full 90 days. New rule starts only after February 2026.
Q2. I lost my SIM and took duplicate SIM with same number. Will WhatsApp work?
Yes, duplicate SIM has same IMSI, so it will work. But you may have to re-verify once.
Q3. I use WhatsApp on iPad/tablet without SIM. Will it stop?
Yes, 100%. From 2026, only the phone that has the active SIM will run WhatsApp.
Q4. I am going abroad for vacation. What should I do?
Keep international roaming ON your Indian SIM, or use e-SIM with roaming. Otherwise WhatsApp will stop the moment you insert foreign SIM.
Q5. Will WhatsApp Web still work from office laptop?
Yes, but it will log out every 6 hours. You will have to scan QR code again.
Q6. Is this rule only in India?
Yes, only India has made SIM-binding compulsory 24×7. No other country has this rule yet.
Q7. Can criminals still do fraud after this rule?
They will find it much harder. Police will know exact location of the app is being used from.