Jul 02, Kathmandu - India's government has formally expressed opposition to WhatsApp's upcoming 'Username' feature, citing potential risks of increased cybercrime and identity fraud. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology sent a letter to WhatsApp, urging the company to hold off on launching the new feature until further consultations are completed.

According to Indian media reports, the ministry fears that the feature, which allows users to connect via unique usernames without revealing their mobile numbers, could facilitate the rise of fake identities, phishing scams, and digital kidnappings. The government warned that users with limited technical knowledge could be particularly vulnerable to such cyber threats.

India is WhatsApp's largest market, with over 500 million users. Recent data indicates a rapid surge in cyber frauds within the country. It is estimated that Indian citizens suffered nearly three billion USD in cyber scam losses in 2025 alone — a staggering 40-fold increase compared to 2021.

WhatsApp clarified that the feature has not yet been implemented in India. The company stated that even with usernames, users will still need to retain their mobile numbers for service access, and that multi-layered security measures will be in place to prevent misuse.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp recently appointed Indian fintech entrepreneur Kunal Shah as its new head. Notably, the feature is already in use on WeChat, owned by Tencent in China, which has been offering username-based connections for some time.