SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions
Institutions: Ministry of Communications | Department of Telecommunications
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) announced that its citizen-centric digital safety initiative Sanchar Saathi has enabled the recovery of over 6 lakh lost and stolen mobile handsets since launch in May 2023. The platform integrates DoT, telecom service providers, and State/UT police in real time, allowing citizens to block, trace, and recover stolen devices across all Indian telecom networks.
Monthly recoveries have risen from 28,115 in January 2025 to 45,243 in August 2025, marking a 61% increase in eight months. The facility is now recovering about one phone per minute. With over 19 crore portal visits and 90 lakh app downloads, Sanchar Saathi is India’s most comprehensive digital safety platform.
Alongside handset blocking, modules like Chakshu (fraud reporting), Know Your Mobile Connections, Device Authenticity Verification, International Call Reporting, and Trusted Contact Details expand its digital security coverage. The app is available in Hindi, English, and 21 regional languages.
By embedding citizen participation into telecom security, Sanchar Saathi strengthens Digital India and cyber safety frameworks, preventing fraud and restoring public trust in digital services. Its success illustrates how digital governance and inter-agency collaboration can directly protect households.
What is Sanchar Saathi? → Launched in 2023, Sanchar Saathi is a DoT platform offering citizens tools to block/trace stolen phones, verify SIMs, check IMEI authenticity, and report fraud calls. It enhances telecom security and safeguards digital assets.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can Sanchar Saathi’s model of real-time collaboration between telecom operators, government, and police be scaled up for broader cybercrime prevention?
Follow the full news here: PIB Press Release on Sanchar Saathi, Sept 2025