India notifies telecom sandbox rules: up to 24 months, results kept confidential

India's Department of Telecommunications published the Telecommunications (Regulatory Sandbox) Rules, 2026, in force since October 21. The sandbox lets applicants test telecom services, networks and equipment on a limited set of voluntary users for up to 24 months, with results confidential by default.

• Applications need lab test reports and a non-refundable Rs 10,000 fee
• A sandbox runs up to 24 months, extendable by up to 12 months at a time
• Products under test cannot be commercially available during the trial
• Test results are not required to be published; disclosure is at government's discretion