India’s telecom ministry has issued a directive requiring every smartphone maker to pre-install a government cybersecurity app called Sanchar Saathi on all newly manufactured phones.
The order was issued on november 28 and sent privately to smartphone companies without prior industry consultation.
Smartphone brands, including apple, samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, and others, have been given 90 days to comply.
The app will be mandatory and non-removable — users will not be allowed to disable or uninstall it.
📌 Clash Expected with the Smartphone Industry
The rule is widely expected to trigger friction in the tech industry, especially with apple, known for refusing pre-installation of any third-party or government app on new devices.
Apple’s internal security and privacy rules strictly prohibit pre-purchase app installation, making this directive a direct conflict with company policy.
For phones already in the existing supply chain, manufacturers must ensure the app is added later via a software update.
Reuters reports that manufacturers were not consulted, raising concern about unilateral decision-making and potential compliance difficulties.
Previously, apple has clashed with indian regulators over a mandatory anti-spam app, showing a history of tensions in similar cases.
📌 Purpose and Function of Sanchar Saathi App
The government claims the policy is necessary due to the rising misuse of duplicate or fake IMEI numbers in scams, theft, and illegal telecom activities.
An IMEI is a 14–17-digit identifier unique to each phone, and blocking it prevents stolen devices from accessing telecom networks.
Sanchar Saathi key features include:
Verifying IMEI numbers
Reporting suspicious calls and misuse
Blocking stolen devices from being used
According to government data:
Over 5 million downloads
More than 3.7 million stolen/lost devices blocked
Over 30 million fake telecom connections terminated.
India — with 1.2+ billion mobile subscribers — argues that the app will enhance cybersecurity, prevent fraud, and assist law-enforcement investigations.
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