Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has amended the Telecommunication Cyber Security (TCS) Rules, 2024 on 22.10.2025 addressing critical vulnerabilities that have emerged with the rapid integration of telecom identifiers into digital services across sectors such as banking, e-commerce, and governance. The updated Rules aim to bridge existing regulatory gaps and strengthen cyber resilience through collaborative mechanisms with entities using telecom identifiers. Overview of the amended Rules The amended TCS Rules introduce key new frameworks addressing longstanding issues: Mobile Number Validation (MNV) platform: To curb the surge in mule accounts and identity frauds arising from unverified linkages of mobile numbers with financial and digital services, the Rules institutionalize MNV platform. This mechanism enables service providers to validate, through a decentralized and privacy-compliant platform, whether a mobile number used for a service genuinely belongs to the person whose credentials are on record — thereby enhancing trust in digital transactions. Resale Device Scrubbing: India’s growing second-hand device market has become a hotspot for circulation of blacklisted, stolen, or cloned phones, leaving genuine purchasers vulnerable to legal complications. The amended Rules now require entities dealing in resale or refurbished devices to scrub every device’s IMEI number through a centralized database of blacklisted IMEIs before resale, protecting consumers and assisting law enforcement in tracking stolen equipment. Telecom Identifier User Entity (TIUE) Obligations: Recognizing that multiple sectors now leverage telecom identifiers (such as mobile numbers, IMEIs, and IPs) for authentication and service delivery, the Rules define “TIUEs” and mandate them to share relevant telecom-identifier data with the government in specific, regulated circumstances. This ensures greater traceability, accountability, and coordination in tackling telecom-linked cyber frauds while maintaining compliance with data protection norms. Collectively, these amendments aim to safeguard India’s digital ecosystem against telecom-enabled frauds, strengthen device traceability, and ensure responsible use of telecom identifiers. The TCS Amendment Rules, 2025 mark a decisive step toward a resilient, interoperable, and future-ready telecom cyber security framework that balances innovation, privacy, and national security. To read the complete Rules, click here.