New Delhi: The Indian government has begun the pilot phase of a nationwide caller identification system, according to reports, designed to tackle spam and fraudulent calls, offering an official alternative to third-party services like Truecaller.

The initiative, led by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), will introduce the Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) feature, which will display the verified name of the caller on recipients’ screens. A full-scale rollout across India is expected by March 31, 2026.

Unlike existing private apps, CNAP will draw data directly from the Know Your Customer (KYC) information provided when users obtain their SIM cards. This means caller names will be tied to verified identity documents, significantly reducing the risk of fake or misleading caller information, an issue often reported with apps where names can be edited manually.

Officials believe the CNAP system could play a key role in curbing digital arrest scams, identity fraud and other phone-based financial crimes.

Telecom operators have already started pilot runs of the feature. Vodafone Idea is testing CNAP in Haryana, while Jio is reportedly preparing to begin trials in the same state, covering calls made nationwide. The DoT has urged operators to ensure rapid implementation to make the service available as soon as possible.

The feature will initially roll out for 4G and 5G users, while around 200 million subscribers on older 2G networks will not have access to the service. The move is expected to encourage users to upgrade their devices and connections to benefit from the new anti-spam measure.

Smartphone manufacturers will also be required to update their devices to support CNAP, with deadlines expected to be announced soon to ensure nationwide compatibility.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has supported the DoT’s proposal to enable CNAP by default for all subscribers. However, the DoT has recommended that users should retain the option to disable the feature if they prefer not to use it.