In a bid to check theft of mobile phones as it involved security aspects, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has issued a consultation paper to seek opinion of the industry and other stakeholders to stop the menace.

"Mobile phone theft and its reuse is becoming a major problem in all countries. This also has a serious security dimensions. In India too, despite rapid growth of the mobile telephony market, there is still a wide gap in the costs of handsets in the grey market and the legitimate market," Trai said in a statement.

Trai has been considering for sometime the need to evolve a regime to disincentivise theft of handsets through legislation and other policies, it said.

Recently, some steps have been taken in the United Kingdom to address the matter of mobile phone theft, through legislative change and efforts to collaborate on database development and data sharing.

The consultation paper noted that a comprehensive solution would require major effort and time, and it would be necessary to identify certain initial steps which would begin the process of addressing the theft of mobile handsets and would yield significant results, Trai said.

The regulator has invited stakeholders' comments on a number of issues including the role of the regulator in this matter, how to address the problem of duplicate identification number for the handsets, procedures required for collection of data among other issues.