Fine Print
Fine print is the part of a contract, a bill or a government circular that most people skip, and it's usually where the catch is. These explainers read it for you from the source document, work out what it costs in rupees, and stay up to date.
Primary documents Rupee maths Kept current
TRAI's calls-and-SMS-only plans: what changes, who gains, what's left open
Jio, Airtel and Vi must sell a calls-and-SMS-only pack for every validity of 30 days or less, at a lower price than the matching pack with data. It starts 30 days after the rule is published in the Gazette, and no price is fixed.
Read the explainer →The digital arrest scam: how it works and how to shut it down
There is no such thing as a "digital arrest". The CBI, ED, police, customs and courts don't arrest anyone over a video call, and none of them will ask you to move money to prove you're innocent. If a call does either, hang up and report it.
Read the explainer →India's data protection rules: what you can demand from apps, and when
India's data protection law is in force on paper, but most of your rights only start on 13 May 2027. From then, apps must tell you what they hold on you, fix or delete it on request, and answer within 90 days.
Read the explainer →SIM-binding for WhatsApp and Telegram: what actually changes for you
Messaging apps will have to work only while the SIM for your number is in your phone. The rule is real but not fully switched on: apps have until 31 December 2026 to report compliance, and the six-hour WhatsApp Web logout was dropped.
Read the explainer →UPI's new merchant fee: who pays, how much, and what's still free
UPI's merchant fee is on hold until after Diwali. When it starts, shops pay 0.4% on UPI payments above Rs 2,000, capped at Rs 300. You, the customer, pay nothing extra, and nobody is allowed to charge you for it.
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