TRAI DND in India: How to Stop Spam Calls and SMS
India’s Do Not Disturb service lets you block most promotional calls and messages. It does not block everything, and the steps depend on your carrier.
By Siddharth ShankarUpdated October 20, 2026In India, you can register your number for Do Not Disturb (DND) through your carrier. The method described by a tech guide is to send an SMS “START 0” to 1909, or call 1909 from your number. BSNL uses its own wording. Carriers can take up to seven days to apply the change. DND does not stop transactional or bank messages from services you use, nor personal calls. The guide is from 2021, so check your carrier’s current steps.
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Spam calls and promotional SMS are a daily annoyance in India. The regulator, TRAI, has a system for opting out of marketing, and carriers run it. This page summarises one published guide and tells you where to check for current steps.
What DND is
TRAI’s registry of people who do not want marketing contact was set up in 2011 and is now commonly called the National Customer Preference Register (NCPR). When you register, telemarketers are meant to avoid contacting you in the categories you block. Carriers handle the sign-up.
How to activate DND
The guide by Beebom, dated May 2021, describes these methods:
1Send an SMS
Send START 0 to 1909 from the number you want to register. This blocks all promotional messages and calls.
2Or call 1909
Call 1909 from the same number and follow the prompts. BSNL needs a different keyword, which the guide gives as “start dnd.”
3Use partial blocking if you prefer
Choose categories by sending START followed by a number from 1 to 7. Each number blocks a different category of promotional calls and messages.
4Or use your carrier’s app or site
Jio, Airtel and Vi each have DND options in their apps or websites.
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How long it takes
TRAI allows carriers up to seven days to apply the change, so do not expect an instant result. The guide also says preferences cannot be changed again for 30 days, and that deactivation can be requested only after 90 days from activation. That detail is from the guide, not from TRAI itself, so confirm it with your carrier.
What DND does not block
- Transactional messages from services you use, such as bank alerts, delivery updates and one-time passwords.
- Personal calls and messages from individuals.
- Scam calls and messages. Fraudsters ignore the registry.
If spam continues
Report the number to your carrier. Keep the date, time and number. Do not call back, reply or click links. For fraud, see the phone scam ring case and why scam calls can show real numbers.
Recognising unwanted calls that DND will not stop
Calls from unknown mobile numbers, WhatsApp calls and messages from random senders are often not telemarketers registered with a carrier. They may be scammers, who ignore the registry. Do not click links in these messages, and do not share one-time passwords, Aadhaar details or bank information.
Reporting and blocking
Use your phone’s block and report features for repeat numbers, and report unwanted marketing to your carrier. Keep a short log of dates and numbers. If a call asks for money or personal details, hang up and contact the organisation using a number from its official website.
Protect your number at the source
Spam grows when a number is shared widely. Avoid giving your number to shops and apps that do not need it, and prefer email where you can. See what to do if your phone number was in a data breach.
These steps may be out of date
Carrier codes, apps and rules change. If the SMS or call does not work, open your carrier’s official app or website and look for DND or the National Customer Preference Register. For comparison, see the US National Do Not Call Registry.
Sources
- Beebom: How to activate DND on Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL (May 2021) (SMS and call methods, categories, BSNL keyword, seven-day implementation, limits)
Frequently asked questions
How do I activate DND in India?
The guide says to send START 0 to 1909 or call 1909 from your number. BSNL uses a different keyword. Check your carrier’s current steps.
How long does DND take to start?
TRAI allows carriers up to seven days to apply it.
Does DND block bank messages?
No. Transactional messages from services you use, such as banks, are not blocked.
Does DND stop scam calls?
No. Scammers ignore the registry, so report them to your carrier or through Sanchar Saathi.
Can I block only some categories?
Yes. The guide describes partial blocking by category using START and a number from 1 to 7.
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