The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Communications has issued an important amendment to the Telecommunication Cyber Security (TCS) Rules, 2024, notified as the TCS Amendment Rules, 2025.The new rules aim to strengthen India’s cyber resilience, enhance telecom identifier security, and safeguard the broader digital ecosystem.
The reforms come amid rapid digitalization across sectors like banking, fintech, e-commerce, logistics, and digital governance, all of which heavily rely on mobile numbers and device identifiers for authentication. With cyber-enabled telecom frauds and misuse of identifiers on the rise, the amendments address critical vulnerabilities and introduce modern security frameworks.
Key Cybersecurity Enhancements Introduced Under the TCS Amendment Rules, 2025
1. Mobile Number Validation (MNV) Platform Institutionalized
To counter identity fraud and the rising number of “mule accounts” used in financial crimes, the amendment formally establishes a Mobile Number Validation (MNV) platform.
- Enables service providers to verify—through a secure, decentralized, and privacy-compliant mechanism—whether a mobile number genuinely belongs to the person using a particular service.
- Prevents fraudulent linking of numbers to bank accounts, wallets, online marketplaces, and governance services.
- Strengthens trust in digital transactions by preventing impersonation.
This is viewed as a major step toward curbing telecom-linked financial fraud.
2. Mandatory Resale Device Scrubbing for the Second-Hand Market
India’s booming refurbished and second-hand smartphone market has been vulnerable to circulation of blacklisted, stolen, or cloned devices.
The amended Rules mandate that every device’s IMEI number must be scrubbed against a central database of blacklisted IMEIs before resale.
- Protects unsuspecting buyers from purchasing illicit devices.
- Helps law enforcement agencies trace stolen or cloned mobile equipment.
- Brings accountability to the resale and refurbishing ecosystem.
3. Telecom Identifier User Entities (TIUE) — New Obligations Defined
Recognizing that telecom identifiers such as mobile numbers, IMEIs, SIM identifiers, and IP addresses have become core to digital authentication processes, the amendment introduces the category of Telecom Identifier User Entities (TIUEs).
These include banks, fintechs, e-commerce firms, digital platforms, and any service leveraging telecom identifiers.
Under the new obligations:
- TIUEs must share relevant telecom-identifier data with the government in regulated, lawful, and necessary situations.
- Ensures better traceability and rapid investigation of telecom-linked cyber offences.
- Mandates responsible use of sensitive telecom identifiers in compliance with data protection and privacy norms.
This creates a unified framework for coordinated cyber-fraud mitigation across sectors.
Strengthening India’s Digital Ecosystem
Collectively, the amendments aim to:
- Enhance cybersecurity and reduce telecom-enabled frauds.
- Improve device traceability and consumer safety.
- Promote secure use of telecom identifiers across industries.
- Establish a future-ready, interoperable cyber-security architecture aligned with national security and privacy principles.
DoT emphasized that the amendments close longstanding regulatory gaps and modernize India’s telecom cyber-security landscape.
Clarification on Gazette Publication and Validity of Rules
DoT also issued an important clarification regarding the publication sequence of the amendment rules.
- The original TCS Amendment Rules, 2025 were validly notified on 22.10.2025 via G.S.R. 771(E).
- A later Gazette publication (G.S.R. 796(E) dated 29.10.2025) accidentally republished the same amendment, though it was intended for a different draft rule.
- To correct the mistake, DoT issued G.S.R. 863(E) on 25.11.2025, rescinding the unintended re-publication.
DoT clarified that this administrative correction does not invalidate the original rules.
Final Status
The Telecommunication Cyber Security (TCS) Amendment Rules, 2025 remain in full force and are fully enforceable across India.
Conclusion
The amendment to the TCS Rules marks a decisive and forward-looking effort to strengthen India’s telecom and digital security landscape. With robust mechanisms like MNV, resale device scrubbing, and TIUE accountability, India moves closer to building a trusted, safe, and resilient digital future.