India has intensified its crackdown on telecom fraud, disconnecting more than 13.6 million mobile numbers based on citizen feedback, according to the Ministry of Communications. In a statement to Parliament, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia detailed a series of tech-driven initiatives aimed at safeguarding digital infrastructure and enhancing public sector telecom services.
Central to the government’s anti-fraud strategy is the Digital Intelligence Platform, which integrates 620 institutions—including 570 banks, 36 state police forces, investigative agencies, and telecom service providers—to enable real-time action against scammers. The platform supports coordinated efforts to detect and neutralize fraudulent activities exploiting telecom networks.
The Sanchar Saathi portal, launched in May 2023, has recorded over 1.55 billion hits, reflecting strong public engagement. Its companion mobile app, introduced in January 2025, has been downloaded more than 4.4 million times. These platforms have facilitated the blocking of 550,000 handsets and the deactivation of 20,000 bulk SMS senders. Additionally, nearly 2.4 million suspicious WhatsApp accounts have been disengaged.
A key public-facing feature, “Know Your Mobile Connections,” empowers users to identify and report unauthorized mobile numbers issued under their names. This service alone led to the disconnection of 13.6 million connections. Complementing this, the ASTR system—an AI-based tool—automatically detected and eliminated 8.2 million fake mobile numbers.
To counter international spoof calls, the Department of Telecommunications deployed centralized software that blocked 13.5 million spoof calls on its first day. These efforts have reduced such incidents by 97 percent, with only 300,000 spoof calls now detected daily. Telecom operators are also required to label incoming international calls for greater transparency.
The Fraud Risk Indicator system, another major innovation, assesses users’ risk levels based on banking and transaction behavior. This data is shared with banks in real time, enabling them to prevent suspicious transactions. Over 370,000 individuals have been flagged, resulting in the prevention of more than 304,000 debit and credit instructions and the freezing of 155,000 bank accounts. The Reserve Bank of India has mandated all banks to integrate this system into their operations.
The government has also targeted the misuse of Indian SIMs operating from Southeast Asian countries, disconnecting over 2.6 million roaming connections and blocking around 130,000 devices involved in such scams.
In parallel with fraud prevention, the government is strengthening public sector telecom services. BSNL’s subscriber base has grown from 85.5 million to 91 million over the past fiscal year, supported by a Rs 322 billion revival package. Each of BSNL’s 32 telecom circles is now developing its own business plan under a decentralized strategy. A landmark 12-hour Strategy and Business Development Session was held with all Chief General Managers to drive performance.
India has also achieved a significant milestone in telecom technology by developing its own 4G stack. The core software was created by C-DoT, with hardware from Tejas Networks and system integration by TCS. Of the 95,000 towers sanctioned, 75,000 are already operational, backed by Rs 200 billion in capital expenditure. BSNL’s 4G services are now live, with a transition to 5G planned in the next phase.
These initiatives underscore the government’s commitment to building a secure, efficient, and globally competitive telecom ecosystem.
