Over 6 lakh lost and stolen phones recovered via Sanchar Saathi initiative in India

New Delhi: More than 6,00,000 lost and stolen mobile phones have been recovered through the Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) Sanchar Saathi initiative, the government said on Tuesday.

The 'Block Your Lost' or 'Stolen Mobile Handset' service, part of the citizen-focused digital safety platform, has crossed a major milestone, reinforcing public trust in digital governance, according to the Ministry of Communications.

Officials said the facility integrates DoT, telecom service providers, and state and union territory police in real time. Built on the theme of 'Digital by Design', it is currently helping recover about one phone every minute.

The platform allows citizens to report, block, trace, and unblock lost or stolen handsets across all Indian telecom networks. Once a reported device is blocked, any attempt to use a SIM in it triggers automated traceability, with alerts sent to both the complainant and the relevant police station. Citizens also receive details of the police station via SMS.

Recoveries have shown steady growth, rising from 28,115 in January 2025 to 45,243 in August 2025, a 61 per cent increase in eight months.

Launched in May 2023, Sanchar Saathi has become India’s most comprehensive digital safety platform, recording more than 190 million website visits and over 9 million mobile app downloads, the ministry said.

IANS