India Telecom Regulator Disconnects 8.8 Million Mobile Connections Using AI

India's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has disconnected more than 8.8 million mobile connections that failed mandatory re-verification. The move, detailed in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, is part of the government's efforts to combat telecom-enabled cyber fraud.

The disconnected numbers were identified by ASTR, an in-house DoT tool employing artificial intelligence and big data analytics. ASTR scans subscriber and usage patterns across networks, flagging connections for telecom operators to re-verify. Those failing re-verification are subsequently disconnected.

ASTR was introduced alongside the Sanchar Saathi portal in May 2023. This initiative also includes the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) to block stolen or lost devices and a feature allowing users to review SIM cards issued in their name. The portal also hosts the Chakshu facility, a platform for citizens to report fraudulent calls and messages.

As of mid-July 2026, citizen reports through Chakshu led to the disconnection of 5.09 million mobile connections. DoT stated it aggregates such data to identify broader patterns of misuse rather than acting on individual complaints alone. The department also utilizes the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) for data exchange with other agencies like the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to tackle financial fraud and cybercrime.