The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced that its digital safety initiative, Sanchar Saathi, has enabled the recovery of over 50,000 lost and stolen mobile handsets across India in October for the first time.

The Ministry of Communications said in a release that Karnataka and Telangana have emerged as the top-performing states, each crossing 1 lakh recoveries; Maharashtra follows with over 80,000 recoveries.

"Notably, monthly recoveries have surged by 47 per cent from June to October 2025, underlining the system's growing efficiency and reach. With the help of this system, more than one handset is being recovered every minute across the country," the release said.

The ministry said that this milestone reflects an unwavering commitment to secure citizens' digital assets and public trust in technology-driven governance. The overall recovery nationwide has also crossed the 7 lakh milestone.

At the core of this achievement is a robust, indigenously developed platform, integrating automated workflows and real-time device traceability. Sanchar Saathi's advanced technology prevents the misuse of blocked devices. When a SIM is inserted into a reported handset, the system triggers alerts to both the registered citizen and the relevant police station, enabling faster and more efficient recovery.

This success is the result of seamless collaboration. Police personnel across States/UTs, DoT's Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) and field formations (LSAs) have worked in close coordination to ensure devices are efficiently traced and returned to their rightful owners. Regular capacity-building programmes and partnerships with state and UT police forces have been critical in strengthening on-ground response and operational excellence.

DoT urged Citizens to download the Sanchar Saathi App to not only report and block their lost /stolen mobile devices, but also to cross-check check genuineness of new/old devices that they intend to purchase. Citizens can also report suspected fraudulent calls /messages through this App and can cross-check trusted contact details of banks and financial institutions.

The ministry further added that Sanchar Saathi continues to empower citizens and safeguard digital assets, in line with the Government's Digital India vision. The achievement underscores the transformative impact that digital technologies, vigilant police forces, and dedicated DoT teams have had in building a secure, citizen-centric digital ecosystem, the release added.