The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has raised objections to the Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) recent SIM-binding directions, stating that the measures exceed the scope of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and risk disrupting digital communication services nationwide.
In a letter addressed to union minister for Communications, the industry body conveyed that over-the-top (OTT), app-based communication services do not fall under the Telecommunications Act and remain governed by the Information Technology Act, 2000. IAMAI noted that although earlier versions of the telecom law had proposed bringing OTT services under regulation, these clauses were omitted from the final legislation approved by Parliament.
Additionally, IAMAI argued that there is insufficient evidence to show that SIM-binding or forced logouts would significantly curb cyber fraud. It said organised fraud networks typically rely on SIM cards acquired through fake or borrowed identities, which are used briefly and discarded, limiting the effectiveness of such regulatory interventions.
The association also highlighted technical and operational difficulties in enforcing continuous SIM verification, especially on devices using dual SIMs, e-SIMs or secondary devices such as laptops. According to IAMAI, privacy and security constraints at the operating system level may prevent apps from consistently verifying SIM status, increasing the risk of erroneous lockouts and service interruptions for users.
Given these issues, IAMAI has also recommended setting up a technical working group comprising government officials, industry representatives and technical experts to develop coordinated, sector-wide approaches to address cybercrime more effectively.
