Using WhatsApp without an active SIM card may soon no longer be possible. The Indian government has tightened its cybersecurity rules, placing WhatsApp and other messaging apps under stricter regulation. Under the new Telecommunication Cybersecurity Amendment Rules, 2025, every WhatsApp account must remain linked to an active SIM card at all times to curb rising cases of online fraud, impersonation and spam.
Apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and Snapchat have been given 90 days to comply. The new rules also mandate automatic logout from WhatsApp Web every six hours, requiring users to re-scan a QR code to access their account again. Officials say this will limit misuse through unattended browser sessions.
WhatsApp has now been classified as a Telecommunication Identifier User Entity (TIUE), extending telecom-style verification requirements to app-based communication platforms. As part of this, WhatsApp must continuously verify that the registered SIM is active and inserted in the user’s device. If the SIM is removed, replaced or deactivated, the app will stop working.
The government says mandatory SIM binding will help trace fraudulent communication more easily. According to the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), currently the linking process happens only once during installation, after which the app functions independently — a system the new rules aim to change.
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