Sanchar Saathi is a citizen-centric security and awareness platform developed by India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
Launched as a web portal in May 2023 and expanded into a mobile app for Android and iOS in January 2025, it helps mobile subscribers manage their digital identities, protect against fraud, and secure their devices. The platform is accessible via the official website (sancharsaathi.gov.in) or the app.
Key Features:
• IMEI Verification and Device Blocking: Users can check a phone’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) to confirm authenticity and block lost or stolen devices across all telecom networks nationwide, aiding in recovery (over 50,000 phones recovered in October 2025 alone).
• Fraud Reporting: Report suspicious calls (e.g., international numbers spoofing as Indian), spam, or cyber fraud directly through the app.
• Connection Management: View all mobile numbers linked to your name or ID to detect unauthorized SIMs or identity theft.
• Other Tools: Flag forged KYC documents, report misuse of telecom resources, and access awareness resources on digital safety.
Recent Developments:
As of December 2025, the Indian government has mandated that all smartphone manufacturers (including Apple, Samsung, Vivo, and Oppo) pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on new devices sold or imported into India, with a 90-day compliance deadline. This aims to make fraud prevention more accessible by ensuring the app is available out-of-the-box on every handset.