Nepali language made mandatory in telecom services across Sikkim
According to the order issued by the Licensing Policy Division of the DoT, this decision has been taken to ensure that subscribers in Sikkim—where Nepali is the lingua franca and widely spoken by the majority of the population—can interact with their service providers in their own language.
LOCAL
In Sikkim, the Government of India has directed all telecom service providers to include the Nepali language in their customer services and communications. The Ministry of Communications, through the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), issued an official memorandum on September 2, 2025, making it compulsory for all operators in the state to provide interactive voice response systems (IVRS), text messages, and call centre support in Nepali.
According to the order issued by the Licensing Policy Division of the DoT, this decision has been taken to ensure that subscribers in Sikkim—where Nepali is the lingua franca and widely spoken by the majority of the population—can interact with their service providers in their own language. The memorandum, signed by Rakesh Yadav, Assistant Wireless Advisor (Licensing Policy), stated that the step was necessary to “ensure effective communication and improve user experience.”
What the order means for subscribers
The new rule requires that telecom companies, internet service providers, and virtual network operators introduce Nepali alongside English and Hindi in all telecom-related messages and services. This means that customers receiving SMS alerts about bills, recharges, or network issues will soon get them in Nepali. Similarly, when subscribers call customer care numbers, they will be greeted with IVRS options in Nepali in addition to existing languages.
The DoT has asked all licensees operating in Sikkim to implement the language inclusion within 30 days of the notification. Operators are required to submit a compliance report to the concerned Licensed Service Area (LSA) office. This means that by early October 2025, telecom users in Sikkim should be able to access all major services in Nepali.
The order has been circulated to all Unified License holders, Virtual Network Operators (UL-VNO), and Internet Service Providers functioning under guidelines framed in 2002 and 2007. Officials at DoT have clarified that any delay or non-compliance will invite strict monitoring.