India Orders Mandatory Pre-Installation of Cybersecurity App on All New Smartphones
India’s telecom ministry has directed major smartphone manufacturers to preload all new devices with Sanchar Saathi, a state-owned cybersecurity app that cannot be removed, according to a confidential government order seen by Reuters. The mandate—aimed at tackling rising cybercrime, phone theft, and fraudulent mobile activity—applies to Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, and other leading brands. Companies have been given 90 days to comply, and devices already in the supply chain must receive the app through software updates.
The government says the mandatory app installation is necessary to counter the “serious endangerment” posed by duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers, a key vulnerability exploited in scams and hacking operations. Sanchar Saathi, launched in January, allows users to block and trace lost or stolen phones across networks and has reportedly aided in recovering more than 700,000 devices. It has also helped block 3.7 million lost or stolen phones and terminate over 30 million fraudulent mobile connections.
The move has raised privacy concerns among digital rights advocates, who argue it undermines meaningful user consent. Apple, known for resisting government demands for pre-installed apps, is expected to push back, with analysts predicting the company may seek a compromise by encouraging users to install the app voluntarily instead of bundling it into devices. Neither the smartphone companies nor the telecom ministry responded to requests for comment.
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