India Extends SIM-Binding Deadline to Dec 31, Scraps Mandatory 6-Hour Logout Rule

The Indian government has granted a significant reprieve to the tech industry, extending the compliance deadline for its controversial SIM-binding rules to December 31. This move follows sustained pushback from major messaging platforms and industry stakeholders, who raised operational and user experience concerns over the stringent mandates originally set to take effect.

The rules, issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in December 2025, required apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal to maintain a continuous link to a user's mobile SIM card. A particularly contentious provision mandated that users of web or desktop versions be forcibly logged out every six hours. In a key concession, the DoT has now reportedly removed this mandatory logout rule. Instead, platforms will be allowed to implement AI-driven risk analysis to determine when a user session should be terminated, shifting from a rigid time-based rule to a more flexible, behavior-based security model.

This policy adjustment signals the government's responsiveness to industry pressure while maintaining its core objective of enhancing digital security and traceability. The extension provides crucial breathing room for global messaging giants to adapt their technical infrastructure. However, the underlying mandate for persistent SIM linkage remains, setting the stage for continued scrutiny of how these platforms balance user privacy with regulatory compliance in one of the world's largest digital markets.