Besides Arattai, WhatsApp and JioChat are known to be developing compliance measures for the SIM-binding rules, said sources.
The SIM-binding saga continues as social media platforms attempt to engage with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) past the Febraury 28 deadline for compliance, as per sources.
The SIM-binding direction announced in December, 2025, has resulted in arguments amongst social media platforms in India. While some messaging apps like Arattai have publicly agreed to comply with the rules, other apps are trying to resist implementation, arguing that the order should only apply to pure-messaging apps as opposed to all apps with messaging features, sources told businessline.
In turn, the Ministry has offered to consider exceptions for platforms that deprioritise one-to-one communication and similar features that enable messaging from the new norm. However, the lack of consensus among players keeps the resolution at bay.
“Since the intent of the law was to cover purely communication apps, the DoT is being slightly lenient but there’s no consensus yet,” said a source.
The law mandates that app-based communication services remain continuously linked to the SIM card associated with the user and calls for periodic six-hour logouts for web/desktop versions.
Besides Arattai, WhatsApp and JioChat are known to be developing compliance measures for the SIM-binding rules, said sources. Others like Snapchat, ShareChat and Telegram did not respond to businessline queries while Signal declined to comment on the matter.
Earlier, representative body Broadband India Forum (BIF) had raised concerns regarding the directions, suggesting alternative measures like stronger SIM-KYC enforcement and coordinated enforcement across telecom operators, financial intermediaries and law-enforcement agencies. Prior to the deadline, it sent a legal opinion to the government, calling out that the direction goes beyond statuatory powers of DoT and violates the right to equality.
Published on March 5, 2026
