Sanchar Saathi is a digital security platform developed by the Department of Telecommunications to help citizens report suspicious communication, block and trace lost or stolen phones, and check unauthorized SIM cards issued in their name. With cyber fraud rising sharply, the government has asked smartphone makers to preinstall the app to ensure universal access to its safety features. By integrating tools like Chakshu and the Central Equipment Identity Register, Sanchar Saathi strengthens India’s mobile security ecosystem and empowers users to protect their digital identities.
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Picture Courtesy: Sanchar Saathi
The Centre has asked smartphone companies in India to preinstall a state-developed cybersecurity application that allows users to report fraudulent calls and messages and stolen mobile phones.
Sanchar Saathi is a citizen-centric digital security platform developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to empower mobile subscribers and enhance their protection against fraud and misuse. Designed as both a mobile application and a website, it aims to make mobile usage safer by providing tools that help users secure their devices, verify mobile connections taken in their name, and stay informed about telecom-related security issues. Through this platform, users can block and trace lost or stolen mobile phones using their device’s IMEI number, report suspicious or fraudulent calls and messages via the Chakshu feature, and raise complaints against unsolicited commercial communication as per TRAI regulations.
Chakshu: Reporting Suspected Fraud Calls, SMS, and WhatsApp Messages
Chakshu enables users to report any suspicious or fraudulent communication they receive, such as impersonation attempts claiming to be from DoT, TRAI, the police, or other government officials, as well as phishing messages, fake KYC or banking alerts, electricity or insurance-related frauds, investment and trading scams, and unverified APK links.
Report and Block Lost or Stolen Phones
Sanchar Saathi allows users to block their lost or stolen mobile phones through its integration with the Central Equipment Identity Register (CeIR), enabling them to secure the device from misuse anywhere in India. The platform also generates traceability information whenever someone attempts to use the blocked phone, and once the device is recovered, users can easily unblock it.
Check All Mobile Connections Issued in Your Name
The platform provides users with the ability to view all mobile connections issued using their identity details, helping them detect any unauthorized or fraudulent SIM cards linked to their ID. If such connections are found, users can report them and request deactivation, which plays a crucial role in preventing identity theft and SIM misuse.
Unsolicited Commercial Communication
Sanchar Saathi also allows users to report telemarketing spam, promotional SMS, and unwanted commercial calls, ensuring that such complaints are addressed under TRAI’s Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR) of 2018. By offering this feature, the platform helps users reduce unwanted communication and enhances compliance with telecom regulations.
Rising cyber fraud cases and the need to protect citizens: The government’s push to preinstall Sanchar Saathi stems mainly from the dramatic rise in cyber fraud across India. According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), India reported over 20 lakh cyber fraud complaints in 2023–24, a jump of more than 250% in three years, and fraud-related cases constitute almost 65% of total cybercrime incidents. The total loss reported by victims in digital financial fraud crossed ₹10,000 crore in 2024, with most crimes originating through simple mobile-based vectors like phishing SMS, fake KYC updates, scam calls, and WhatsApp impersonation attempts.
Need for a Nationwide, Uniform, and Easily Accessible Security Tool: India has more than 1.17 billion mobile subscribers, with around 60–65 crore smartphone users, making the mobile phone the single largest point of digital interaction. However, not all users have equal cyber literacy; a large section of non-English-speaking and first-time digital users remain vulnerable.
Preventing mobile cloning, SIM misuse, and identity theft: Mobile cloning and unauthorized SIM issuance have been major enablers of cybercrime. Telecom and Regulatory Authority of India I and Department of Telecommunication audits in 2022–24 found that millions of SIM cards were issued using forged IDs or in the names of unsuspecting citizens. These SIMs were then used for extortion, phishing, OTP theft, or mule accounts.
Strengthening India’s digital public infrastructure for cybersecurity: India has created globally recognized digital public infrastructure such as Aadhaar, UPI, and DigiLocker. With cyber threats becoming more frequent and sophisticated, the next phase of DPI involves building trust and security layers to protect citizens’ digital footprints.
Sanchar Saathi represents the government’s effort to create a safer mobile ecosystem by giving citizens an easy, trusted platform to report fraud, secure lost devices, and monitor SIM misuse. By centralising these protections, it strengthens digital security and helps users stay vigilant in an increasingly cyber-risk-prone environment.
Source: Indian Express
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Practice Question Consider the following statements regarding the Sanchar Saathi platform: 1. It allows users to block and trace lost or stolen mobile phones using their IMEI number. 2. It provides a facility to view all SIM cards issued using an individual’s identity. 3. It serves as the official platform for filing cybercrime FIRs in India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Answer: (a) |
Sanchar Saathi is a DoT-developed mobile security platform that helps users report fraud, block lost/stolen phones, and check SIMs issued in their name.
Using the app is optional, but the government has directed smartphone makers to preinstall it on all devices so that its security features are universally available.
It enables users to block the device using its IMEI number and receive traceability alerts if someone tries to use it. The phone can be unblocked once recovered.
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