DoT rectifies error, TCS Amendment Rules 2025 remain in force

DoT has rectified a publishing error concerning the TCS Amendment Rules, 2025, confirming they remain in force. The rules introduce new frameworks to tackle cyber fraud, including a Mobile Number Validation platform and IMEI checks for used devices.

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Thursday clarified that the publishing error in the Telecommunication Cyber Security (TCS) Amendment Rules, 2025, has been rectified and the rules continue to be in force, a press release said.

According to a press release by the Ministry of Communications, the Telecommunication Cyber Security (TCS) Amendment Rules, 2025, were notified in the Gazette of India vide notification GSR 771(E) dated October 22, 2025. Subsequently, due to an inadvertent error, the rule intended for consultation, the Telecommunication Cyber Security (TCS) Amendment Rules, 2025, was republished in the Gazette of India vide notification GSR 796(E) dated October 29, 2025. The Department of Telecommunications has now rectified this error through notification GSR 863(E) dated November 25, 2025, which rescinds the unintended republication of the TCS amendment Rules. This rescission in no way invalidates the original amendment to the TCS Rule that brought it into effect in the first place. The Government clarified that the TCS Amendment Rules, 2025, continue to be in force and enforceable.

Purpose of the TCS Amendment Rules

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) amended the TCS Rules, 2024, on October 22, 2025, to address critical vulnerabilities arising from the rapid integration of telecom identifiers into digital services across sectors such as banking, e-commerce, and governance. The amendment reinforces India's commitment to secure, transparent, and responsible telecom operations, the release said.

New Frameworks to Strengthen Cyber Resilience

The updated Rules aim to address existing regulatory gaps and strengthen cyber resilience through collaborative mechanisms involving entities that use telecom identifiers. They introduce key new frameworks addressing longstanding issues, including the Mobile Number Validation (MNV) platform.

Mobile Number Validation (MNV) Platform

To curb the surge in mule accounts and identity fraud arising from unverified linkages of mobile numbers with financial and digital services, the Rules institutionalise the MNV platform. This mechanism enables service providers to validate, through a decentralised 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.

Checks for Second-Hand Device Market

India's growing second-hand device market has become a hotspot for the 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 centralised database of blacklisted IMEIs before resale, protecting consumers and assisting law enforcement in tracking stolen equipment.

Regulating Telecom Identifier User Entities (TIUE)

As per the release, recognising that multiple sectors now leverage telecom identifiers (such as mobile numbers, IMEIs, and IPs) for authentication and service delivery, the Rules define the Telecom Identifier User Entity (TIUE) and mandate that TIUEs 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, the release said. (ANI)

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