DoT Enforces Nine-SIM Limit Using Subscriber Photographs

Key facts

• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued a circular on August 17, 2026, to enforce the nine-SIM limit using subscriber photographs.
• The limit is nine mobile connections per individual across all telecom operators, and six for subscribers in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, and the North-East.
• From August 23, 2026, a representative image of the photo of every subscriber who has reached the permitted limit will be made available to telecom operators through the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP).
• From August 24, 2026, telecom operators must use these photographs to identify subscribers seeking additional connections and inform them that they have reached the maximum limit.
• Telecom operators must integrate the photo-based identification into their enrollment process on a real-time basis by November 30, 2026.
• Any SIM activated beyond the allowed limit during the interim period will be suspended immediately.
• The government is expected to notify the Telecommunications (User Identification) Rules, 2025, which propose a biometric-based system for identifying telecom users.