On November 28, 2025, India implemented new regulations through the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) that require messaging applications like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal to be used only on devices containing an active Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, effectively ending the era of spare-phone usage for many users. This directive mandates that these apps must continuously link to the installed SIM, leading to forced logouts of web services every six hours and requiring re-authentication via QR codes. Additionally, the government ordered major smartphone manufacturers to preload the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity application on all new devices, a move aimed at bolstering telecom security and combating cyber fraud, which has been increasingly exploited by international scammers. These measures represent a significant shift in India’s digital landscape, emphasizing traceability and security over convenience, while also raising potential concerns about user privacy and compliance among global manufacturers.