**Summary:**
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), under the Ministry of Communications, is actively working to prevent the misuse of telecom resources for cyber fraud. Matters relating to cybercrime fall under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which has established the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to provide a framework for Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). The MHA also operates the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) (https://cybercrime.gov.in) for public reporting of cybercrimes, with reported complaints numbering 10.29 lakh in 2022, 15.96 lakh in 2023, and 22.68 lakh in 2024.
The DoT has developed an indigenous AI and Big Data analytic tool, ASTR, to identify mobile connections obtained by the same person under different names. Using ASTR, over 82 lakh such connections were disconnected after failing reverification. The DoT has also implemented a robust Know Your Customer (KYC) framework for issuing mobile connections. Guidelines mandate telecom licensees to register their Point of Sale (PoS) entities, which enroll customers and issue SIMs. Registration requires biometric verification and physical verification of the PoS's business address and local residence. The guidelines also enforce online supply chain management of SIM cards and penalize violations, including termination of agreements and blacklisting of PoS across all Telecom Service Providers (TSPs). Further amendments to KYC instructions have introduced a business connections framework requiring mandatory KYC for each end-user before activation, alongside a robust KYC process for SIM swap replacements.
This information was provided by the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on August 7, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Communications: The Indian government ministry responsible for telecommunications and related matters.
Department of Telecommunications DoT: The department under the Ministry of Communications responsible for telecom policy and regulation.
Cyber Crime: Crimes committed using computers or networks.
Ministry of Home Affairs MHA: The Indian government ministry responsible for internal security, including cybercrime.
Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre I4C: An agency under MHA established to coordinate efforts against cybercrime.
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal NCRP: Online portal (https:cybercrime.gov.in) established by MHA for reporting cybercrimes.
ASTR: An indigenous AI and Big Data Analytic Tool developed by DoT to Identify Mobile Connections taken by same person in different names.
Know Your Customer KYC: A framework for issuing mobile connections to subscribers.
Ministry of Communications
Telecom-Related Cyber Frauds and Safety
Measures
DoT has Developed an Indigenous AI and Big Data
Analytic Tool ASTR to Identify Mobile Connections
DoT has put in place a Robust Know Your Customer
(KYC) Framework for issuing mobile connections to
subscribers
Posted On: 07 AUG 2025 3:19PM by PIB Delhi
Matters relating to Cyber Crime are under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as per allocation of the
business rules. Department of Telecommunications (DoT) undertakes efforts to prevent misuse of telecom
resources for cyber frauds. MHA has established the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) as an
attached office to provide a framework and eco-system for Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to deal with
cyber-crimes. MHA has also launched the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal- NCRP
(https://cybercrime.gov.in) to enable public to report all type of cybercrimes. Number of complaints reported
on NCRP for 2022, 2023 and 2024 are 10.29 lakh, 15.96 lakh and 22.68 lakh respectively.
DoT has developed an indigenous AI and Big data Analytic tool ASTR to identify mobile connections taken
by same person in different names and disconnected more than 82 lakhs such connections through ASTR after
they failed reverification.
DoT has put in place a robust Know Your Customer (KYC) framework for issuing mobile connections to
subscribers. DoT has issued guidelines which mandates telecom licensees to register their Point of Sale (PoS),
who enrolls customers and issue SIMs on behalf of the licensees, through biometric verification, physical
verification of address of place of business & local residence of PoS. The guidelines also have provisions for
maintaining an online supply chain management of SIM cards, penal action for violation including
termination of agreement and blacklisting of PoS across all Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).
Further, the DoT has also amended existing KYC instructions and introduced business connections
framework where KYC of each end-user is made mandatory before activation. In addition, a robust KYC
process for SIM Swap / replacement has also been introduced.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr.
Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
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Samrat / Allen(Release ID: 2153524)