Over the objections of India's mobile operators, the telecom ministry is sticking to a deadline requiring the implementation of real-time call tracking by May 31.
The ministry has rejected a request from the operators for an extension on the compliance deadline, Economic Timesreported.
Industry groups including COAI had argued that complying with the rules will cost the industry about $5 billion, and that no vendor currently has the ability to feasibly implement such a solution in the allotted time.
The government implemented a host of new telecom security rules last year, including mandating a system requiring operators to install tracking systems able to pinpoint the location of up to 80% of their customers to within 300 metres.
The operators will also be required to include tracking data into the call records that it will make available upon law enforcement groups' requests.
The government has been leaning on the telecom ministry to enhance monitoring capabilities since a 2008 terror attack in Mumbai, after it was discovered that the Pakistani perpetrators planned the attack using phones with pre-paid SIMs.