India's Department of Telecommunications issued an order on 28 October 2024 that will make caller name display mandatory on all 4G and 5G networks by 1 November 2026. The directive requires operators to activate CNAP by default, replacing the previous opt‑in model.
Under CNAP, the caller’s number appears first, followed by the name stored in the originating operator’s subscriber database if the number is not in the recipient’s contacts. For international calls, the screen will simply read “International Call.”
The order mandates a security‑by‑design approach, ensuring that the name is cleared from the database once the call ends unless the recipient has enabled Calling Line Identification Restriction, in which case the caller’s name remains hidden.
Commercial users can display a preferred name, provided it is a registered trademark or GST trade name that the operator verifies before activation. Existing subscribers wishing to change their displayed name must submit a formal application.
The policy follows a four‑month trial on 4G and 5G networks and the February 2024 TRAI recommendation, which was later endorsed by TRAI in October 2025 with a shift to default activation.
Operators have until 30 September 2026 to submit their CNAP implementation plans to the DoT, after which the system will go live nationwide, potentially reshaping how users identify unknown callers.