Google is partnering with Indian telecom operator Bharti Airtel to integrate carrier-level spam protection into its Rich Communication Services (RCS) platform, aiming to address longstanding complaints of unwanted messages and fraud in a key market. The collaboration, announced on Sunday, will see Airtel's network intelligence combined with Google's RCS to perform real-time checks on business messaging.
India's vast mobile user base, rapid digital payment adoption, and aggressive marketing have made it a challenging environment for messaging spam. In 2022, user complaints prompted Google to temporarily pause business promotions on RCS in India, delivered primarily through the Google Messages app, though some users continue to report issues.
Carrier Concerns and a "Global First"
Airtel, India's second-largest telecom operator with over 463 million subscribers, stated it had been cautious about deeper alignment with Google's RCS until traffic could be routed through its own spam controls. "We had not onboarded Google because we first wanted RCS messages to be routed through the Airtel spam filter," an Airtel spokesperson said.
The companies described the move as a "global first" for integrating a telecom operator's spam filtering directly into an over-the-top messaging platform. The system will enable sender verification, spam detection, and enforcement of user do-not-disturb preferences.
Critical Market for Messaging Ambitions
India represents a critical battleground for Google's messaging ambitions, with more than a billion internet users and over 700 million smartphone users. The country is also home to over 853 million WhatsApp users, underlining the intense competition in mobile messaging.
Sameer Samat, president of the Android ecosystem at Google, said in a statement: "We are committed to continuing to work with the broader ecosystem of carriers to create a consistent and trusted messaging experience for RCS users around the world." This signals the company may look to extend the model beyond India.
Analyst Perspective and Broader Context
Industry analyst Prabhu Ram, vice president for CyberMedia Research, said the partnership reflects efforts to plug weaknesses in rich messaging ecosystems vulnerable to spam. "The efficacy of this partnership should be reflected in metrics such as reductions in spam volume, user complaints, and fraud incidence," Ram told TechCrunch.
Airtel has been stepping up anti-spam efforts, claiming its AI-led systems have blocked over 71 billion spam calls and 2.9 billion spam messages in the past year, contributing to a nearly 69% drop in fraud-related financial losses on its network. Google has positioned RCS as the successor to SMS, announcing in May 2025 that the standard was handling more than a billion messages daily in the U.S.
Google did not specify if similar carrier integrations are planned for other markets or provide estimates on potential spam reduction. The partnership underscores the ongoing challenge of securing open messaging platforms as they scale in high-growth, high-risk environments.