The government has extended the deadline for pre-paid mobile services provision in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states by two more years, to March 31, 2017. The decision comes with the view to benefit the existing 33 million subscribers in the regions. Meanwhile, pre-paid SIM cards issued in these three regions will continue to remain non-operational outside their telecom circles and, similarly, pre-paid numbers issued outside these circles will not be operational in the Jammu Kashmir and northeastern regions.

The clearance was granted by the Home Ministry, which reiterated to the service providers that they have to maintain utmost precaution in issuing SIM cards and ensure proper verification. Jammu and Kashmir shares borders with Pakistan while most of the northeastern states share international borders with countries like China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan. Of the roughly 35 million telecom subscribers in these three circles of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Northeast, about 33 million have opted for pre-paid services.

Earlier in 2009, the Department of Telecommunications had banned pre-paid mobile phone services in these regions on grounds of national security. The ban was withdrawn in 2010 but the department increased the verification process for new customers and ordered re-verification of existing subscribers.