Press Note No. 54/2025, issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on July 4, 2025, announces the release of a consultation paper on the regulatory framework for the sale of SIM/eSIM cards from foreign telecommunications service providers, specifically intended for use in M2M and IoT devices to be exported.

This initiative follows a formal request submitted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), under the Ministry of Communications, Government of India, on September 17, 2024.

In that request, the DoT requested TRAI to issue recommendations, pursuant to Section 11(1)(a) of the TRAI Act, 1997, on the terms and conditions that should govern the issuance and renewal of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the import and sale of such SIMs/eSIMs in the indicated context.

WHOM DOES THIS IMPACT?

The direct impact is on M2M/IoT device manufacturers in India who use SIMs/eSIMs from foreign operators, companies integrating international connectivity, international telecommunications service providers, and regulatory and customs entities.

CONCLUSION:

The document has a moderate current impact due to its preliminary nature, but it has the potential to escalate significantly if emerging regulatory measures affect the flexibility to use foreign connectivity in the export process. The direct target audience is comprised of actors in the smart device export value chain that rely on M2M/IoT connectivity.