No unknown numbers calling anymore soon, govt makes displaying caller name mandatory from November 1

The Government of India has notified telecom service providers to mandate caller IDs for users from November 1. Whenever you receive a call from November 1, your phone will display the number and the name of the person calling by default.

In Short

• Govt mandates caller ID from November 1
• 4G connections and above to get Caller ID
• It will show name and number of the person calling

Soon, you will not have any unknown callers as the Government of India is mandating caller ID for users. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom service providers (TSPs) to introduce Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) from 1 November 2026. CNAP is India’s verified caller identification system which can display the caller’s number and name.

As per the DoT order, CNAP will be enabled by default for every user on 4G and higher-generation mobile networks, such as 5G. When you receive a call, CNAP will display the name and the number of the person calling. The rollout on 2G and 3G networks and public switched telephone networks will be considered separately, the order said.

How will caller ID work?

According to the order, when a call is received, the first field on the screen will show the caller's number. The second will display the name saved in the recipient's contacts. If the number is not saved, the caller's name recorded in the originating telecom operator's subscriber database will be shown for domestic calls. For international calls, the screen will display the words “International Call.”

Each telecom service provider will have to establish, operate and maintain a database mapping subscribers' names to their numbers. The operator receiving the call will retrieve the name from this database and present it to the called user.

Operators must follow a security-by-design approach. Under this, the caller's name cannot be retained through the query-response mechanism after the incoming call ends. The names of users who have availed themselves of the Calling Line Identification Restriction facility will not be displayed.

For business and bulk connections, operators may offer the option of displaying a preferred name instead of the name in their subscriber records. It must be either a trademark registered in the user's name with the Trade Marks Registry or a trade name registered on the Goods and Services Tax portal. Operators must verify the name and supporting documents. Existing subscribers will have to apply to update their preferred name.

The order follows trials on 4G and 5G networks in the past few months. It also cites the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI's) February 2024 recommendations. In October 2025, TRAI agreed with the DoT's proposal to make CNAP available by default, although its original recommendation had proposed activation only on request.

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