India has mandated that caller-ID and call-management apps must share spam reports with telecom operators, a move that Truecaller deems anti-competitive.
According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the new rules aim to bolster anti-spam efforts by connecting app-based reports with telecom enforcement infrastructures. However, Truecaller sees this as a one-way data transfer that could compromise its commercial interests.
The Swedish company, which has over 350 million active users in India, faces potential competition from telecom operators who now have access to valuable spam data. The ruling comes amid a proliferation of spam calls in India, with Truecaller reporting 42 billion in 2025.
While Truecaller and TRAI have clashed before, the new amendments retain restrictions on automatically labelling calls from government-designated number ranges. They also introduce new regulations for AI-powered calls, requiring companies to declare their use to telecom operators and facing potential termination fees.
