India Implements Photo-Based System to Limit Mobile Connections

The Department of Telecommunications is implementing a photo-based identification system to strictly enforce limits on the number of mobile connections an individual can hold. Under 2012 guidelines, subscribers are limited to nine SIM cards nationwide, while a lower limit of six applies in Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, and the North-East.

Starting August 23, the agency will use its Digital Intelligence Platform to provide telecom operators with images of subscribers who have reached these limits. By August 24, operators must employ technical and organizational measures to identify these individuals and deny them additional connections. Customers are now required to declare all existing connections on their Customer Application Forms.

Operators must initially perform these checks on a next-day basis, with any SIMs activated beyond the limit facing immediate suspension. Full real-time integration is required by November 30. The government is also expected to notify the Telecommunications (User Identification) Rules, 2025, which propose a biometric-based system and unique user IDs for real-time identity verification and auditing.