India to tie WhatsApp and Telegram accounts to registered SIM cards from January 2027

India's Department of Telecommunications plans to require messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram to stay linked to a registered SIM card that must remain inserted and active in the phone, starting 1 January 2027. Web sessions would also have to log out at least every six hours and be re-authenticated by scanning a QR code from the primary phone. The directive, issued under the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024, covers several app-based services, with Snapchat reportedly exempt and Signal reportedly not having responded to government notices. Officials justify the measure by citing annual scam losses above 22,000 crore rupees tied to untraceable or misused numbers, including phishing and digital arrest scams. Critics note that the change turns a one-time registration check into a continuous requirement that could disrupt users who use separate devices or work on web clients.