The Indian government has instructed smartphone makers to preload all new devices with its state-owned Sanchar Saathi app, aiming to strengthen mobile cyber security across India. The app cannot be deleted, a move that is expected to spark concerns among Apple and privacy advocates. This directive comes as India faces a surge in cybercrime and mobile phone fraud, following a global trend of governments introducing measures to prevent misuse of stolen devices.
The November 28 order, shared with major smartphone companies in India, gives them 90 days to ensure the Sanchar Saathi app is installed on all new phones, with no option for users to disable it. For devices already in the supply chain, manufacturers are instructed to push the app via software updates. Major brands operating in India, including Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi, are affected. Apple, which pre-installs its own apps on iPhones, prohibits pre-installing third-party or government apps before sale, making compliance in India a challenge.
Privacy experts in India have raised concerns about the order. “The government effectively removes user consent as a meaningful choice,” said a technology law specialist. Critics have drawn comparisons with Russia’s similar mandate for a state-backed messenger app. Despite these concerns, the Indian government stresses that the app is essential to combat telecom cyber security threats from duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers, which are often used in scams and network misuse. Launched in January, the app has already helped recover over 700,000 lost phones across India, including 50,000 in October alone, according to official figures.
The Sanchar Saathi app enables users in India to block and track lost or stolen smartphones across all telecom networks using a central registry. It also helps identify and disconnect fraudulent mobile connections. India, home to more than 1.2 billion mobile subscribers, relies heavily on Android devices, with Apple’s iOS accounting for about 4.5% of 735 million smartphones in India by mid-2025. While the government and tech companies have yet to publicly comment on the rollout, analysts suggest Apple may seek a compromise in India, nudging users to install the app rather than making it mandatory.
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