India is steadily strengthening its fight against telecom-enabled cyber fraud by combining artificial intelligence, big data analytics and citizen participation. As cybercriminals increasingly exploit mobile numbers, fake identities and digital communication channels to carry out financial frauds, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has adopted a technology-driven strategy to identify suspicious mobile connections and prevent the misuse of telecom resources. Through initiatives such as ASTR, the Sanchar Saathi portal, the Chakshu reporting facility and the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP), the government has created a multi-layered system to detect, verify and disconnect fraudulent mobile connections while facilitating information sharing among key stakeholders.
According to information available as of July 15, 2026, these initiatives have yielded significant results, with millions of suspicious mobile connections being identified and disconnected. The integrated approach reflects the government's growing emphasis on preventive action rather than merely responding to cybercrime after it occurs.
ASTR: AI-Powered Detection of Suspicious Mobile Connections
One of the most significant technological initiatives undertaken by the Department of Telecommunications is the development of ASTR, an Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics-based tool designed to identify suspicious mobile connections.
ASTR analyses vast amounts of telecom data using artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to detect anomalies that may indicate fraudulent or illegal usage. The system can identify mobile connections obtained through forged documents, duplicate identities or other suspicious patterns that may not be easily detected through conventional verification methods. The increasing use of AI enables telecom authorities to process millions of records quickly and accurately, helping them detect irregularities across multiple databases. This significantly reduces the time required to identify suspicious mobile numbers and prevents criminals from exploiting telecom infrastructure for cyber fraud, financial scams and other illegal activities.
The impact of ASTR has been substantial. As of July 15, 2026, more than 88 lakh suspicious mobile connections had been disconnected after they failed the mandatory reverification process. This large-scale action demonstrates how AI-driven verification can improve the integrity of India's telecom ecosystem by ensuring that mobile connections are linked to genuine users.
Reverification Ensures Authentic Subscriber Identity
The success of ASTR is closely linked to the reverification process carried out by the Department of Telecommunications.
Once ASTR flags a mobile connection as suspicious, telecom authorities initiate reverification to confirm whether the subscriber details are genuine. Connections that fail this verification process are disconnected, preventing them from being used for fraudulent activities.
This process is particularly important because cybercriminals frequently obtain SIM cards using fake identities, forged documents or stolen personal information. Such mobile numbers are often used to conduct phishing attacks, impersonation scams, fake investment schemes and online financial fraud.
Disconnecting these numbers before they are used for criminal activities significantly reduces the opportunities available to fraudsters.
Sanchar Saathi: Empowering Citizens Against Telecom Fraud
While advanced technology plays a vital role, public participation has become an equally important component of India's anti-fraud strategy.
The Department of Telecommunications launched the Sanchar Saathi portal to empower citizens with tools to protect themselves against telecom fraud and misuse. Among its most notable features is the Chakshu facility, which enables people to report suspected fraudulent communications.
Citizens can report suspicious phone calls, SMS messages, WhatsApp communications or other telecom-based fraud attempts through the portal. These reports create a valuable database that helps authorities identify emerging fraud patterns and detect networks of criminal activity.
Instead of investigating every individual complaint separately, the Department of Telecommunications analyses the crowd-sourced information collectively. This data-driven approach enables authorities to identify recurring numbers, suspicious behaviour and larger fraud syndicates operating across multiple regions.
Chakshu's Crowd-Sourced Intelligence Producing Results
The effectiveness of the Chakshu reporting mechanism is evident from the numbers achieved within a relatively short period. As of July 15, 2026, citizens had submitted approximately 11.18 lakh reports of suspected fraudulent communications through the Sanchar Saathi portal. Based on the analysis of these reports, the Department of Telecommunications disconnected around 50.90 lakh mobile connections that were found to be involved in suspicious activities. These figures demonstrate the immense value of crowd-sourced intelligence. Every report submitted by an individual contributes to a much larger database that helps authorities identify organised telecom fraud networks.Rather than treating every complaint as an isolated incident, the Department uses advanced analytics to detect common links among multiple reports. This improves investigative efficiency while enabling proactive enforcement.
Technology and Public Participation Working Together
The combination of artificial intelligence and citizen participation has created a powerful model for combating telecom fraud.
AI tools such as ASTR analyse massive datasets to identify suspicious connections, while citizens provide real-time intelligence through Chakshu. Together, they create a feedback loop in which technology and public reporting complement each other.
This integrated approach increases both the speed and accuracy of fraud detection. Artificial intelligence identifies suspicious patterns on a large scale, while reports from citizens help validate emerging threats and reveal new fraud techniques being adopted by cybercriminals.
Such collaboration between government agencies and the public represents an important evolution in digital governance.
Role of the Ministry of Home Affairs
Although the Department of Telecommunications plays a major role in preventing the misuse of telecom resources, the investigation of cybercrime falls under a different administrative framework.
Under the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, matters relating to cybercrime are allocated to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Additionally, "Police" and "Public Order" are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, meaning that investigation and law enforcement responsibilities primarily lie with state governments.
The Department of Telecommunications therefore focuses on preventing the misuse of telecom infrastructure rather than directly investigating cybercrime cases.
Digital Intelligence Platform Strengthening Coordination
To enhance coordination among different agencies, the Department of Telecommunications has developed the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP).
The platform enables secure, bi-directional sharing of information among stakeholders involved in combating cybercrime and financial fraud. One of its key partners is the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
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