India Reinforces Digital Security with Strict Laws and Ecosystem
Accountability to Combat IMEI Tampering
India's rapid digital expansion, with 1,204.01
million wireless subscribers as of July 2026, has heightened the need for
secure telecommunications infrastructure. Unlawful IMEI tampering—the
intentional altering or removing of a device's unique 15-digit hardware
identifier—threatens digital sovereignty by disrupting law enforcement tracing,
consumer safety, and network reliability.
To protect its expanding digital economy, the
government mandates strict lifecycle accountability and legal consequences for
manipulating network identifiers.
Core Stakeholder Responsibilities
·
Manufacturers & Importers: Must
register all device IMEI numbers through the Device Setu–ICDR portal
before sale, import, testing, or research to block counterfeit equipment.
·
Resellers & Retailers: Required
to check devices against the central database of blacklisted numbers and ensure
all inventory possesses valid, untampered IMEIs.
·
Citizens: Urged to verify device
authenticity using the Sanchar Saathi platform (or via SMS to 14422),
purchase exclusively from authorized vendors, and avoid tools that modify
identifiers.
Severe Legal Penalties
Under Section 42 of the Telecommunications Act,
2023, tampering with telecommunication identifiers or obtaining SIM cards
through fraud are cognizable and non-bailable offences. Violations,
including abetting these actions, carry penalties of up to three years in
prison, a fine of up to ₹50 lakh, or both.
[ABS News Service/23.09.2026]