Summary: The Government of India, Ministry of Communications, Department of Telecommunications (Licensing Policy Wing), has issued Unified License Amendment No. 01/Licensing Policy/2026, dated 13 October 2026, modifying the definition of “Calling Line Identification (CLI)” under Annexure-I of the Unified License Agreement. The amendment, issued under F. No. 20-1349/2024 AS-I, will take effect from 1 November 2026 and applies to all Unified Licensees.
The amendment has been issued in exercise of the Licensor’s powers under Condition 5.1 of Chapter I of the Unified License Agreement. This condition reserves the Licensor’s right to modify the terms and conditions of the licence whenever considered necessary or expedient in the public interest, in the interest of State security, or for the proper conduct of telegraphs. The Unified License Agreement and its regulatory framework govern the obligations of telecom service providers.
Under the existing definition, CLI means the identity of the calling or originating subscriber in terms of the telephone number assigned as per E.164 of the ITU Recommendation, IP address, or any other identification prescribed by the Licensor from time to time.
The modified definition expands the identification framework to include three alternatives: the telecommunication identifier assigned to a calling user by the licensee providing telecommunication service; the name of the user as recorded in the subscriber data record; or any other identification that the Licensor may specify from time to time.
The amended definition will form part of the Unified License Agreement from 1 November 2026. All other terms and conditions of the Agreement remain unchanged. The amendment changes the definition of CLI; it does not, by itself, expressly mandate the display of a caller’s registered name for every incoming call.
F. no. 20-1349/2024 AS-I
Government of India
Ministry of Communications
Department of Telecommunications
(Licensing Policy Wing)
Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi – 110 001
Dated 13 October 2026
Unified License Amendment no. 01/ Licensing Policy / 2026
Subject: Amendment to the Unified License Agreement — Definition of “Calling Line Identification”
Condition 5.1 of Chapter I of the Unified License Agreement which provides, inter alia, that the Licensor reserves the right to modify at any time the terms and conditions of the License, if in the opinion of the Licensor it is necessary or expedient to do so in public interest or in the interest of the security of the State or for the proper conduct of telegraphs, and that the decision of the Licensor shall be final and binding in this regard.
2. In exercise of the right reserved as aforesaid and being of the opinion that it is necessary and expedient in public interest so to do, the Licensor hereby notifies, with effect from 1.11.2026, the following definition in the Unified License Agreement as under:
| Existing definition | Modified definition |
|---|---|
| Annexure-I: Definition of Terms and expressions
9. CALLING LINE IDENTIFICATION (CLI) means identity of the calling / originating subscriber in terms of the telephone number assigned as per E.164 of ITU Recommendation / IP Address or any other identification as may be prescribed by the Licensor from time to time. |
Annexure-I: Definition of Terms and expressions
9. CALLING LINE IDENTIFICATION (CLI) means— a. the telecommunication identifier assigned to a calling user by the licensee providing telecommunication service to such user; or b. the name of the user as recorded in subscriber data record; or c. such other identification as the Licensor may specify from time to time. |
3. The definition modified as above shall form part of the Unified License Agreement. All other terms and conditions of the Agreement shall remain unchanged.
(Vishal Srivastava)
Director (Licensing Policy Authorisation)
For and on behalf of the President of India
Tel.: 011 23372370
Email: [email protected]
To:
All Unified Licensees
