For millions of mobile users, the continued expansion and refinement of Sanchar Saathi is expected to translate into safer digital transactions, reduced fraud risks, and greater confidence in India’s fast-growing digital economy.
India’s efforts to combat rising cybercrime have received a major boost as the government’s Sanchar Saathi initiative has led to the blocking of 1.52 crore mobile numbers linked to unauthorised, suspicious, and fraudulent activity. According to official data released on Thursday, the programme has emerged as one of the most effective tools in safeguarding India’s rapidly expanding digital ecosystem.
In addition to blocking suspicious numbers, authorities have disconnected nearly 2 crore mobile connections after verification drives flagged irregular usage patterns. The crackdown has also extended to online platforms, with 27 lakh WhatsApp accounts associated with fraudulent SIM cards being disabled, highlighting the scale and reach of telecom-linked cyber fraud in India.
Launched by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Sanchar Saathi has steadily evolved into a core pillar of India’s cybersecurity and telecom fraud prevention framework. Despite early political debate around a proposal to recommend pre-installation of the app on smartphones, the platform has seen strong voluntary adoption by citizens across the country.
Government officials said the Sanchar Saathi portal has recorded close to 20 crore visits, while its mobile application has crossed 2 crore downloads, making it one of India’s most widely used citizen-facing digital safety platforms.
Speaking at a public event in New Delhi, the Union Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region described Sanchar Saathi as a “strong and resilient firewall” against cyber fraud. He emphasised that technology-driven monitoring and citizen participation are essential to protecting users as digital payments, mobile connectivity, and online services continue to grow at scale.
Backend Intelligence and Crackdown on Spoofed Calls
Officials noted that modern cyber fraud detection increasingly depends on backend intelligence systems that consolidate inputs from multiple agencies. One such platform, ICORE, has played a key role in identifying organised fraud networks operating across states and even international borders.
Ministry data revealed that nearly 1.35 crore spoofed calls—many originating overseas but masked as Indian numbers—were being generated earlier. Through coordinated detection and blocking, authorities have reduced spoofed call traffic by almost 95 per cent, significantly limiting a major vector for telecom fraud and scam calls.
The integration of user reports via Sanchar Saathi, digital forensics, and intelligence-led analysis has helped authorities map complex fraud ecosystems, enabling faster and more coordinated enforcement actions.
Financial Fraud Alerts and Bank Integration
Another critical element of India’s cyber fraud prevention strategy is the Financial Fraud Risk Indicators (FFRIs) platform. This system is designed to flag high-risk transactions in real time, allowing banks and financial institutions to act before losses escalate.
Currently, 800–900 banks, financial entities, and investigative agencies across states are integrated into the FFRI ecosystem. Officials said this network enables early alerts and swift coordination in cases involving phishing attacks, SIM swap fraud, identity theft, and UPI-related scams, dramatically reducing response times.
Privacy Concerns and Policy Recalibration
The Sanchar Saathi initiative has also sparked discussions around privacy and user consent, particularly after a government order last Parliament session suggested pre-installation of the app on smartphones. Addressing these concerns, the minister clarified that the proposal was later withdrawn.
He noted that while smartphones often come with several pre-installed applications, users retain full control over what they keep or remove. Emphasising the balance between privacy, choice, and public safety, he said citizens are free to download and use Sanchar Saathi whenever needed.
Taken together, the data highlights how India is increasingly leveraging technology-led governance to address cyber threats at scale. As cyber fraud grows in complexity and sophistication, platforms like Sanchar Saathi are expected to play a vital role in strengthening trust in digital payments, telecom networks, and online services.
Policy experts say the initiative reflects a broader shift toward proactive digital regulation, where real-time intelligence, inter-agency coordination, and citizen participation form the backbone of cybercrime prevention.
