The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) manages the Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR), a centralized system designed to reduce the counterfeit mobile phone market in India.

The platform is now available in all states and Union Territories of the country, and residents can use it if they lose their smartphones. The CEIR database shows that the remaining states and UTs received the feature on March 15. The CEIR was initially launched in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, and Maharashtra in September 2019, and the government later extended the service to Delhi in December 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic could have caused the delay in the rollout to other parts of India.

To use CEIR, residents can access the official website or download the app on Android or iOS devices, which is free of charge. However, users must keep their phone’s IMEI number accessible, which can be found on the smartphone’s box or by dialing *#06#. If a user loses their Android or iPhone, they can use CEIR by submitting a request, filing an FIR at the nearest station, and filling out an online form available on the website and app. Mandatory fields include mobile number, device model, IMEI 1 and 2 numbers, and location information where the phone was lost, along with a scanned copy of the FIR. After the blocking request has been successfully submitted, the phone will be blocked within 24 hours and cannot be used on any network across India. However, IMEI blocking does not prevent the police from tracking the lost or stolen phone. If the phone is recovered, the user can unblock the device using the Request ID and other details through the CEIR unblock option.