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India IMEI Check: How to Use CEIR (Sanchar Saathi) Portal

6 min readUpdated 6/1/2025

India IMEI Check: The CEIR and Sanchar Saathi Portal Explained

India has one of the world's most advanced national IMEI tracking systems — the CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register), operated by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and accessible to citizens through the Sanchar Saathi portal. Here's everything you need to know about checking, blocking, and tracing phone IMEIs in India.

What Is CEIR India?

CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) is India's national IMEI database, maintained by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) under the Ministry of Communications. It was launched in 2023 as part of the Sanchar Saathi initiative. CEIR connects all telecom operators in India — Jio, Airtel, Vi (Vodafone Idea), and BSNL — so that a phone blocked on one network is blocked on all.

Sanchar Saathi Portal: What You Can Do

The Sanchar Saathi portal (sancharsaathi.gov.in) gives Indian citizens direct access to CEIR services:

  • KNOW YOUR MOBILE (KYM): Check if a specific IMEI is registered, genuine, and not blocked in India
  • BLOCK STOLEN DEVICE: Report your stolen phone's IMEI to block it on all Indian networks
  • UNBLOCK DEVICE: If you recover your phone, request unblocking
  • FIND YOUR MOBILE: Track a stolen phone's approximate location (requires police involvement)
  • CEIR for Law Enforcement: Police can access detailed IMEI history for criminal investigations

How to Check IMEI via KYM (Know Your Mobile) in India

  1. Visit sancharsaathi.gov.in/sas/citizenDashboard
  2. Click "Know Your Mobile (KYM)"
  3. Enter your 15-digit IMEI number
  4. Enter the CAPTCHA
  5. Results show: whether the IMEI is genuine, whether it is blocked, and on which networks it is registered

Alternatively, for a quick free model check without going to government portals, use imeicheckpro.com/free-check which queries the GSMA TAC database for brand and model verification.

How to Block a Stolen Phone in India via CEIR

  1. File a police FIR (First Information Report) for the stolen phone. Note the FIR number.
  2. Visit sancharsaathi.gov.in → "Block Stolen/Lost Mobile"
  3. Submit: your mobile number, IMEI number, device details, FIR number, police station details, and your ID proof
  4. CEIR will send a request to all telecom operators to block the IMEI within 24–48 hours
  5. You receive an SMS confirmation on your registered number

IMEI Cloning in India: A Growing Problem

India has seen a significant increase in IMEI cloning — criminals copying genuine IMEI numbers onto multiple devices. Symptoms of a cloned IMEI include:

  • Your phone shows network errors or drops calls frequently (the network is confused by two devices with the same IMEI)
  • You receive OTPs you didn't request
  • CEIR shows your IMEI active on a network/location you've never been in

To check for IMEI cloning, use the KYM (Know Your Mobile) feature on Sanchar Saathi — it shows all networks where your IMEI is currently active. If it shows activity in multiple locations simultaneously, your IMEI may be cloned. Report to your nearest telecom operator and police station.

TAFCOP: Check Mobile Connections Linked to Your Aadhaar

Along with CEIR, the Sanchar Saathi portal also offers TAFCOP (Telecom Analytics for Fraud Management and Consumer Protection), which shows how many mobile connections are registered in your name using your Aadhaar. If more than 9 connections are shown (the typical personal limit), unknown connections can be reported for immediate disconnection.

Buying Used Phones in India: IMEI Checklist

  • ✓ Check IMEI on KYM portal — confirm it is genuine and not blocked
  • ✓ Run free check at imeicheckpro.com — confirm brand and model match what's advertised
  • ✓ Check if phone has Indian regional certification (BIS marking) for genuine import
  • ✓ Verify IMEI on device (dial *#06#) matches the IMEI on the box and SIM tray
  • ✓ For iPhones: premium check for iCloud lock status