WhatsApp to Introduce Mandatory SIM Verification for Users in India
WhatsApp is preparing to roll out a mandatory periodic SIM verification system for its users in India, aligning the popular messaging platform with sweeping new government regulations aimed at bolstering digital security.
The upcoming changes stem from new directives issued by India’s Department of Telecommunications. Under the new framework, digital service providers are required to implement periodic checks to ensure that user accounts remain securely tethered to active SIM cards. The mandate is primarily designed to close security loopholes and curb the widespread misuse of disconnected or reassigned phone numbers.
Evidence of WhatsApp’s compliance strategy was recently uncovered in the latest WhatsApp beta for Android (version 2.26.8.6), currently available on the Google Play Store.
Under the existing system, users in India can access their WhatsApp accounts indefinitely after an initial login via a 6-digit SMS code. The app does not actively monitor whether the original SIM card remains active or is still housed within the device. Moving forward, WhatsApp will introduce technical measures to conduct background validations, periodically prompting users to renew their account sessions.
When triggered, this new security protocol will require users to enter a fresh 6-digit code to confirm physical possession of the active, registered SIM. To strictly comply with the SIM-based mandate, WhatsApp is expected to bypass alternative login methods for this specific prompt, meaning device-based credentials like passkeys cannot be used to bypass the check.
Failure to complete the verification will result in restricted account access until the SIM is successfully validated. However, users will not lose their chat histories or pending messages during this restricted period.
Crucially, this substantial shift in session management is geographically ring-fenced. The requirement applies exclusively to phone numbers registered with India’s +91 international prefix. Users operating outside of India will experience no changes to their current authentication process. Furthermore, the update will not interfere with WhatsApp’s existing two-step verification infrastructure, which will continue to function as a supplementary security measure.
The SIM-linkage feature is currently in active development as WhatsApp engineers refine the background validation infrastructure. Once beta testing concludes, the company plans to initiate a gradual, phased rollout to monitor performance and ensure a seamless transition for its massive Indian user base.
