India Mandates State-Owned Cybersecurity App on Smartphones
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The Indian government's Department of Telecommunications has mandated that all smartphones sold in India must come pre-installed with the Sanchar Saathi app, a state-owned cybersecurity application. This order applies to both Android and iOS devices, requiring manufacturers to comply within a 90-day deadline starting November 28.
According to Android Central, the Sanchar Saathi app cannot be deleted or uninstalled, raising significant privacy concerns due to its extensive access requirements, including phone state, SMS, camera, call logs, and device storage.
The app, which has over 10 million downloads on Android, aims to curb the rising incidence of cybercrimes in India, which reported over 2.2 million cybersecurity incidents from 2021 to mid-2025, as noted by RT.
The Indian government believes that this app will help in tracking stolen devices and preventing tampering with device identification numbers, such as the International Mobile Equipment Identity, or IMEI.
However, critics argue that this initiative represents governmental overreach and could be a form of covert surveillance. Apple, as reported by MacWorld, has indicated it will not comply with the mandate to preload the app on iPhones, citing privacy and security concerns.
Apple sources revealed that the company plans to privately articulate these concerns to the Indian government rather than pursue legal action. The telecommunications ministry maintains that the app's installation is voluntary and democratic, despite opposition claims that this could lead to invasive monitoring.
Other smartphone manufacturers like Oppo, Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi have not publicly stated their intentions regarding compliance with the order. The Sanchar Saathi app has also been touted for its ability to block over 4.2 million stolen phones and aid in recovering 2.6 million handsets, according to RT.
However, the lack of transparency surrounding the app's data collection practices has left many users and privacy advocates uneasy. In summary, while the Indian government positions the Sanchar Saathi app as a necessary tool in enhancing cybersecurity, major companies like Apple are pushing back against what they perceive as a violation of user privacy, leading to a complex interplay of technology, security, and policy in the region.