DoT outlines major telecom reforms, security push in 2025 review

According to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), 2025 has emerged as a landmark year for India’s telecom sector, marked by far-reaching regulatory reforms, rapid growth in connectivity, the rise of indigenous technologies and a stronger focus on digital security. Together, these developments have reinforced India’s position as one of the world’s leading digital economies, underpinned by record levels of telephone and internet penetration, some of the lowest data tariffs globally, and the extensive rollout of 5G and optical fibre networks.

In its Year-End Review of the Department of Telecommunications, released on 19 December 2025, the Ministry of Communications said the DoT had made “significant strides in strengthening the Indian telecom ecosystem”, with reforms spanning legislation, infrastructure deployment, cybersecurity and future technologies.

Telecom law reforms and implementation

A central pillar of this transformation has been the Telecommunications Act, 2023. The DoT is currently drafting regulations across multiple provisions of the Act. To date, regulations under 14 provisions have been notified, and 43 of the Act’s 62 sections have been implemented. Draft rules covering areas such as authorisation, spectrum assignment and management, and the regulatory sandbox are at various stages of preparation and public consultation.

These legislative reforms are aimed at simplifying processes, improving transparency and aligning India’s telecom framework with emerging technologies and market realities.

Citizen-centric services and fraud prevention

A major focus area in 2025 has been citizen protection and the prevention of telecom-enabled financial fraud and cybercrime. The Sanchar Saathi portal, launched in 2023, has become a key public-facing platform. Available in 21 languages, the portal has recorded more than 22 crore visits so far, with average daily traffic rising from around 2.4 lakh users to nearly 3.7 lakh in 2025.

During the year, the portal was expanded to include a “Trusted Contact Details” module, providing verified contact information for banks, financial institutions and government agencies, including official websites, email addresses and toll-free numbers.

To further extend access, the DoT launched the Sanchar Saathi mobile application on 17 January 2025. Available in Hindi, English and 21 regional languages on both Android and iOS platforms, the app allows users to report suspected fraudulent calls, block or unblock lost or stolen mobile phones, and view mobile connections issued in their name. Since launch, the app has been downloaded more than 1.5 crore times.

In parallel, the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP), introduced in 2024, has strengthened coordination among stakeholders to curb misuse of telecom resources. The platform has onboarded more than 850 entities, including telecom operators, law enforcement agencies, regulators, over 800 banks and financial institutions, and police forces across states and Union Territories. It provides near real-time information on disconnected mobile numbers and the reasons for disconnection, enabling swift preventive action.

Another key initiative was the launch of the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) in May 2025. Based on proactive intelligence, the system categorises mobile numbers as medium, high or very high risk for financial fraud. Banks, non-banking financial companies and UPI service providers can use these indicators to trigger alerts, delay or decline transactions, or impose account restrictions. According to the DoT, over 70 lakh potentially fraudulent transactions have been intercepted through FRI integration, preventing losses of nearly Rs 450 crore.

To support adoption, the Reserve Bank of India and the DoT issued guidelines for integrating FRI into banking systems, while other regulators advised its use across financial services. In September 2025, the DoT also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Financial Intelligence Unit–India to further strengthen coordination against telecom-enabled financial crime.

Tackling spoof calls and device misuse

The government has also taken steps to counter international spoof calls. A system introduced in October 2024 to detect and block overseas calls spoofing Indian numbers has significantly reduced malicious attempts, now down to around one to two lakh per day, with international gateways blocking such calls directly.

Based on analysis of crowdsourced data from the Chakshu platform, more than 309 overseas carriers and aggregators linked to spoofed traffic were blocked, along with unused area and satellite codes. Telecom operators have also been directed to clearly label incoming overseas calls as “International Call”, enabling consumers to make informed decisions.

On the device front, the Indian Counterfeit Device Restriction system, known as Device Setu, has enabled free generation and registration of IMEI certificates by manufacturers and importers. In 2025 alone, over 48,000 certificates were issued to domestic manufacturers and around 27,000 for imports, covering a cumulative total of approximately 29.43 crore devices. The DoT also terminated around two lakh direct inward dialling and landline connections found to be involved in unauthorised promotional activities.

Cybersecurity has been reinforced through the Telecommunications (Telecom Cyber Security) Rules, 2024 and their amendment in 2025. These rules impose strict obligations on service providers and device suppliers, including reporting incidents, conducting regular security audits and prohibiting tampering with IMEIs. The DoT has also partnered with the Railway Protection Force to improve recovery of lost or stolen mobile phones on trains through the CEIR facility on the Sanchar Saathi portal.

Right of Way reforms and infrastructure acceleration

Infrastructure deployment has been accelerated through the digitisation of Right of Way (RoW) processes. In line with the “digital by design” mandate of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, a centralised RoW portal was upgraded in January 2025 and integrated into the DoT’s unified Telecom eServices Portal.

Approval timelines have fallen sharply, with average processing time reduced from 448 days in 2019 to around 34 days by November 2025. Around a quarter of applications are now resolved within 15 days, and more than 3.81 lakh applications have been cleared so far, enabling faster rollout of towers and optical fibre, particularly in rural and remote areas.

The Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules, 2024, which came into force on 1 January 2025, introduced uniform procedures across states and local authorities, time-bound approvals, a single-window system and faster dispute resolution. The rules also promote shared infrastructure and more efficient use of public land and buildings.

As part of infrastructure planning, the DoT has mapped extensive telecom assets on the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan platform, including optical fibre routes, telecom towers, base transceiver stations, PM-WANI hotspots and planned installations under Digital Bharat Nidhi projects. This mapping has supported better planning, faster deployment and more efficient resource allocation.

Reducing compliance burden

The DoT has also pursued an extensive programme to reduce regulatory burden. Of 114 compliances identified for elimination or rationalisation, 110 have already been addressed. Several periodic reporting requirements have been discontinued or digitised, significantly easing operational demands on service providers.

Further measures to improve ease of doing business include extending the validity of Pro Tem Security Certification from six months to two years and reducing security testing fees by up to 95 per cent. Procedures for highly specialised equipment and end-of-sale or end-of-life products have also been simplified, benefiting both domestic and international equipment manufacturers.

5G expansion and early steps towards 6G

India’s 5G rollout continued at pace in 2025. With coverage extending to 99.9 per cent of districts and around 85 per cent of the population, telecom operators had installed more than 5.08 lakh 5G base transceiver stations nationwide by the end of October. Government measures supporting the rollout have included spectrum auctions, financial reforms, removal of spectrum usage charges for post-2022 auctions, faster frequency clearances and streamlined infrastructure permissions.

The 100 5G Use Case Labs initiative, announced in October 2023, was fully operationalised by April 2025. Performance frameworks and national hackathons have been introduced to encourage innovation and practical applications across sectors.

Looking further ahead, India has laid the groundwork for leadership in 6G. The Bharat 6G Vision, unveiled in 2023, aims to position the country at the forefront of 6G development by 2030. The Bharat 6G Alliance now brings together government, industry and academia across multiple working groups focused on spectrum, technology, applications and sustainability. International research partnerships and testbeds, including THz and advanced optical communication platforms, are supporting this effort.

At the Bharat 6G Mission Apex Council meeting in December 2025, the government reviewed progress across spectrum planning, standards, domestic components and research funding, underlining India’s ambition to build a secure, resilient and future-ready telecom ecosystem.