India has directed telecom providers to show a caller’s registered name alongside the phone number on incoming calls over 4G and newer wireless networks, according to a circular described by The Hacker News.
The requirement is scheduled to take effect on November 1, 2026. The circular is dated October 13, 2026 and is attributed to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), which sits within the Ministry of Communications.
The measure uses Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) and is intended to make unknown callers easier to identify while helping users deal with spam and fraudulent calls.
What users will see on incoming calls
Under the reported display rules, an incoming call will present two fields: the caller’s number and a name or call-origin label.
The name will be selected according to the following order:
- If the recipient has stored the number in their contacts, the locally saved name will appear.
- If the number is not stored and the call is domestic, the receiving operator will obtain the name from the originating operator’s subscriber database.
- Calls originating outside India will display the label “International Call.”
The circular defines the calling name identity as the subscriber name recorded by the operator that originates the call. This means the mandatory system will not necessarily replace names already stored on a recipient’s device.
The initial requirement covers terrestrial wireless services using 4G and higher-generation technologies. Deployment on 2G, 3G and PSTN services will be considered separately, with no implementation date specified for those networks.
Operators must build a cross-network lookup system
Each originating telecom service provider must maintain a database that links subscriber names with telephone numbers. When a customer receives a call, the terminating operator will query the originating provider’s database to retrieve the relevant identity.
Providers are also being urged to implement CNAP using a “secure-by-design” approach. According to the reported circular requirements, the retrieved calling name must not be retained after the incoming call ends. Database capacity, connectivity and network infrastructure must also support efficient lookups without degrading service quality required under applicable rules.
The direction additionally requires operators to provide Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR), allowing subscribers to conceal their identity when placing calls.
Businesses can use verified preferred names
Customers holding business or bulk connections may select a preferred name to replace the standard calling name identity. The chosen name must be tied to one of two official records:
- a trademark registered to the customer in the Trade Marks Registry; or
- a trade name registered to the customer through the Goods and Services Tax portal.
For new connections, operators must record that preferred name in both the customer application form and the subscriber data record. Applicants must show the original registration proof to the originating provider and attach true copies to the application.
For users on covered networks, the practical change begins on November 1, 2026: calls from unsaved domestic numbers should carry the name held by the originating operator, while overseas calls should be explicitly marked as international.
