Highlights:
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India now requires all new smartphones to include the Sanchar Saathi app.
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Experts in India warn the app’s permissions could enable surveillance.
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The government says users can delete the app, but official rules state it cannot be disabled.
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Technology companies say mandatory pre-installed apps conflict with company policies.
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Apple is reportedly pushing back against compliance in India.
India has issued a major new directive requiring smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the government-run Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app on all newly sold devices. The order was passed last week and made public on Monday. Under the directive, smartphone makers operating in India have 90 days to comply with the requirement.
The Indian government has stated that the app’s “functionalities cannot be disabled or restricted.” This requirement applies across one of the world’s largest mobile markets, where India has more than 1.2 billion mobile users. The rule also instructs manufacturers to make the app clearly visible during the phone’s setup process.
In addition to new devices, India is also requesting manufacturers to attempt the installation of Sanchar Saathi on unsold devices already produced through software updates. Companies must submit compliance reports to Indian authorities within 120 days.
Officials in India state that the purpose of the app is to help users verify whether their mobile device is authentic and to report suspected misuse of telecom services. However, the order has raised concerns about privacy, user consent, and the limits of government control over personal devices in India.
India Faces Privacy Backlash Over Sanchar Saathi Permissions
Criticism in India has centered on the privacy implications of the Sanchar Saathi app. According to its published privacy policy, the app can make and manage calls, send messages, access logs, retrieve photos and files, and use the phone’s camera.
The Internet Freedom Foundation, an advocacy group in India, expressed concern over the scope of access granted to the app. It stated, “In plain terms, this converts every smartphone sold in India into a vessel for state-mandated software that the user cannot meaningfully refuse, control, or remove.”
The scale of access described in the privacy policy has intensified fears that the app could be used for surveillance in India. Cybersecurity experts argue that the required permissions go beyond what is needed for the app’s stated function of verifying devices and reporting fraud.
India Government Says App Is Voluntary, Critics Disagree
Despite the backlash in India, the government has maintained that the app is optional. India’s Minister of Communications, Jyotiradtiya Scindia, addressed the issue publicly on X and said, “This is a completely voluntary and democratic system – users may choose to activate the app and avail its benefits, or if they do not wish to, they can easily delete it from their phone at any time.”
However, critics in India point out that this statement directly conflicts with the official order, which says that the app’s functionalities cannot be disabled or restricted. The Indian government has not clarified how users would be able to delete the app if those rules remain in place.
This contradiction has become a central point of concern for digital rights advocates and legal experts in India, who say the language of the order leaves little room for meaningful user choice.
What the Sanchar Saathi App Does in India
Sanchar Saathi was launched in January in India as a platform aimed at improving telecom security. The app allows users to check a phone’s IMEI number, report lost or stolen devices, and flag suspected cases of telecom fraud.
An IMEI number is the unique 15-digit identification code assigned to a mobile device by telecom networks. According to the Indian government, fake or duplicate IMEI numbers pose a “serious endangerment” to telecom cybersecurity. Authorities in India also say these practices contribute to the growth of the second-hand phone market, where stolen devices may be resold, making buyers “an abetter in crime.”
India’s order requires the Sanchar Saathi app to be displayed clearly during the initial setup of a smartphone. This ensures that users are immediately aware of its presence, even though disabling or restricting its functions is not permitted under the rule.
India Tech Industry Pushback and Global Context
Technology experts in India and abroad warn that the app’s extensive permissions allow deep access into a user’s device. Technology analyst Prasanto K Roy said, “We can’t see exactly what it’s doing, but we can see that it’s asking for a great deal of permissions – potential access to just about everything from flashlight to camera. This is itself worrying.”
Roy also noted that mandatory pre-installed government apps clash with existing corporate policies. He added, “Most companies prohibit installation of any government or third-party app before the sale of a smartphone.”
Major smartphone brands operating in India may now face legal and operational challenges due to this conflict. Apple, which holds about 4.5 percent of India’s 735 million smartphones, has reportedly told Reuters that it does not intend to comply with the order and will raise concerns with the Indian government.
India’s move follows similar actions taken in other countries. In August, Russia ordered all phones and tablets sold there to come pre-installed with the state-backed MAX messenger app. That policy also triggered public concern over privacy, surveillance, and government control of devices.
India’s Expanding Role in Telecom Regulation
The Sanchar Saathi mandate signals a broader shift in how India is asserting regulatory authority over digital infrastructure and consumer technology. While the stated goal is telecom security and fraud prevention, privacy experts in India continue to argue that the policy risks overreach.
As the 90-day compliance period unfolds, smartphone manufacturers, digital rights groups, and telecom stakeholders in India are expected to push for further clarification. Whether India will revise, pause, or fully enforce the rule remains a key question for the global smartphone industry.
