India’s battle against mobile phone theft reached a significant milestone this October, as the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) announced that its digital safety initiative, Sanchar Saathi, enabled the recovery of over 50,000 lost and stolen mobile phones in a single month for the first time. This achievement, revealed in a press release on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, marks a turning point in the nation’s efforts to secure digital assets and restore public trust in technology-driven governance.
Since its launch in May 2023, the Sanchar Saathi platform has helped recover a staggering 712,360 phones nationwide, a figure that speaks to both the scale of the problem and the growing effectiveness of India’s response. The recent surge in recoveries—up by 47% from June to October 2025—means that, on average, more than one handset is being recovered every minute across the country, according to data from the DoT and as reported by the Hindustan Times.
At the heart of this success is a robust, indigenously developed platform that integrates automated workflows and real-time device traceability. Sanchar Saathi’s technology allows authorities to block and trace handsets even if the SIM card is changed. When a reported device is activated, the platform instantly alerts both the registered user and the nearest police station, enabling faster recovery and preventing misuse. This feature has proven particularly effective in ensuring that stolen devices cannot easily be repurposed or resold, a common challenge in the fight against mobile theft.
The effectiveness of Sanchar Saathi is not uniform across India, however. Karnataka and Telangana have emerged as the top-performing states, each surpassing 1 lakh recoveries, with Maharashtra following closely at over 80,000. Officials attribute this regional success to strong state police participation, rapid response mechanisms, and widespread citizen adoption of the platform. In Telangana, for instance, each district runs a reward and punishment system for police officers, holding them accountable for meeting weekly recovery targets. As a DoT official explained to the Hindustan Times, “In a state like Telangana, where the recovery rate is highest at over 43%, each district has a reward and punishment system for their police officers. If they are not able to meet their target of recovering a particular number of mobile phones in a week, then they are pulled up often through a ‘line hazir ho’ reprimand or roll call. In each police station of Telangana, the respective SHO has control over how many mobile phones have been blocked, traced and recovered. That doesn’t happen in Delhi.”
Indeed, Delhi’s performance stands in stark contrast to these high-achieving states. Despite tracing over 63% of blocked mobile phones, the capital’s recovery rate remains the lowest in the country at just 2.87%, with only 16,205 of 563,826 lost phones traced being physically recovered. This figure lags far behind the national average recovery rate of 27.49%. The root cause, according to DoT officials, lies in Delhi’s unique policing structure. Unlike other states where the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) module is integrated directly into police stations for district-level monitoring, Delhi’s system is controlled by the crime branch alone. This centralization has left the crime branch overwhelmed and unable to manage the workload effectively, resulting in poor recovery outcomes.
Efforts to address these shortcomings have included a training workshop on the CEIR facility of Sanchar Saathi at Delhi Police headquarters in September 2025. However, institutional challenges persist. Some police officers mistakenly believe that once a phone’s IMEI is blocked, it cannot be traced, a misconception that hampers recovery efforts. The DoT has repeatedly clarified that blocking the IMEI does not prevent police from tracking the lost or stolen device, and that reporting the phone on the CEIR is a critical step in the recovery process.
The disparity in recovery rates between states like Telangana and Delhi underscores the importance of not just technology, but also effective coordination and accountability within law enforcement agencies. As the DoT emphasized in its official statement, “This success is the result of seamless collaboration. Police personnel across States/UTs, DoT’s Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) and field formations (LSAs) have worked in close coordination to ensure devices are efficiently traced and returned to their rightful owners. Regular capacity-building programmes and partnerships with state and UT police forces have been critical in strengthening on-ground response and operational excellence.”
Sanchar Saathi’s impact extends beyond just the recovery of stolen phones. The platform’s app allows citizens to report and block lost or stolen devices, verify the authenticity of new or used phones before purchase, and report suspected fraudulent calls or messages. Users can also access verified contact details for banks and financial institutions, providing an added layer of protection against scams. The DoT has urged citizens to download the Sanchar Saathi app to take advantage of these features, highlighting the importance of public participation in making the system effective.
The government’s commitment to strengthening digital security was further demonstrated by the recent appointment of Amit Agrawal as the new Secretary of Telecommunications. Agrawal, a 1993-batch IAS officer, brings a wealth of experience from senior roles including CEO of UIDAI and positions at MeitY and the Finance Ministry. His appointment, approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, signals a continued emphasis on leveraging technology for public safety and efficient governance.
Looking at the bigger picture, the rise in recovery rates and the growing adoption of Sanchar Saathi reflect a broader shift in India’s approach to digital security. The integration of advanced technology, real-time coordination between agencies, and robust citizen engagement are transforming the landscape of public safety. Yet, as the example of Delhi shows, technological solutions must be matched by institutional reforms and on-the-ground commitment to truly realize their potential.
As India continues to grapple with the challenges of mobile theft and digital fraud, the lessons from Sanchar Saathi’s successes—and its setbacks—offer a valuable roadmap. With over 7 lakh devices recovered and counting, the initiative stands as a testament to what can be achieved when technology, policy, and public cooperation come together. The journey is far from over, but October’s record-breaking numbers are a powerful reminder that progress, though sometimes uneven, is very much within reach.
