Several restrictions are in place regarding SMS messaging in India, particularly when it comes to the country’s National Do Not Call (NDNC) list (more information in the table below). There are also other restrictions in place regarding sending times and volumes.

Alternatively, read more at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

We suggest you work with a sales advisor to ensure compliance with all SMS regulations. Get in touch now and set up your messaging program with the help of our experts.

Restriction  DescriptionDND existsYesTime restrictions

Yes

• Marketing messages can only be sent Mon-Sun, 9 AM to 9 PM

• Local transactional messages can be sent at any time

International vs local splitYesLocal traffic

Transactional (Domestic):

• This type of traffic can bypass the DND, however, the customer must be local and send transactional traffic

• A character sender ID must be registered for customers sending local traffic

• Sample content must be provided for whitelisting

Promotional (Domestic):

• Only local customers can send over the local binds

• This traffic will be checked against the DND

International traffic

OTT (ILDO) Traffic:

• All sender IDs will be overwritten with a shortcode

• OTT traffic should be sent via these binds

General content restrictions

• You may not send more than six messages per hour with the same content, from the same sender, to the same number.

• Transactional routes cannot be used for sending any messages relating to stocks and/or shares. To use transactional routes for stock market activities, you’ll need to get certification from stockbrokers and/or entities registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

• The certification must follow the guidelines below:

  1. Certification must be written on the entity’s company letterhead

  2. The entity should be registered with SEBI

  3. The entity should mention the command line interfaces (CLIs) to be used by them and the nature of the messages/content to be used

  4. Purchase order validity

• No opt-in messages should be sent via
  transactional routes.

• An opt-in message can be sent to the end-user
  only if s/he has submitted a documented approval

• Web opt-ins are not accepted as approved opt-ins.

• Any invitations related to social media/websites/OTTs need to have their content confirmed and whitelisted prior to being sent via transactional accounts, and violating this can result in heavy fines.

Content registration requiredYesOpt-out instructions requiredNoSender ID regulations

• Sender ids will be overwritten for local promotional and ILDO traffic

• Whitelisting of 6 character length sender ids is require to send over the transactional route

Sender ID documentation required

• Message templates must be provided

• Service description must be provided

• Website link

Country supports MNPYes