Indians are losing billions of rupees to cyber scams every year. Tragically, many victims have taken their own lives after losing their entire life savings to these schemes. These scams, often perpetrated by criminals operating from foreign soil, have become a critical priority for the government.
Regulatory agencies such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) are continuously framing new rules to plug cybersecurity gaps. Recently, the NPCI disabled a UPI feature that allowed users to "request money" from others, a tactic frequently used in deceptive transactions. Similarly, TRAI has tightened KYC (Know Your Customer) norms to curb SIM card misuse and mandated a special number series for promotional calls.
Furthermore, the RBI and TRAI are piloting a digital system that allows bank customers to review, manage, and cancel consents previously given for promotional communications.
Here are the major cybersecurity updates you can expect in 2026:
1. Caller Name Presentation (CNAP)
Most scammers deceive victims by impersonating trusted individuals, such as friends, family, or government officials. To combat this, TRAI has directed all telecom operators to roll out Caller Name Presentation (CNAP).
With CNAP, users will see the verified name of the caller on their screen for all incoming calls. This name is pulled directly from the KYC data provided when the SIM card was purchased, ensuring users know exactly who is calling. Currently in its pilot phase, CNAP is expected to be fully rolled out by early 2026.
2. SIM Binding for Messaging Apps
Many fraudsters contact victims via instant messaging platforms using Indian numbers, only to discard the physical SIM cards immediately after to avoid being traced.
To prevent this, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has mandated that all instant messaging platforms implement SIM Binding. This means a user must have the physical SIM card active in their smartphone to use a messaging app associated with that number. In November, the DoT gave platforms 90 days to implement this directive; consequently, we expect this security layer to be standard by early 2026.
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