India Orders Smartphones to Pre-Install ‘Sanchar Saathi’, Faces Backlash Over Privacy Concerns

Key Points:

India’s telecom industry has reportedly asked several smartphone manufacturers to pre-load devices with a cybersecurity application. The move was allegedly directed discreetly towards smartphone makers to add state-owned apps that cannot be deleted.

The directive, issued on November 28, 2025, has come under severe scrutiny from the opposition and many netizens, who have raised concerns about the privacy issues associated with the application.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued a formal order on December 1, 2025, mandating that all smartphones imported from abroad or manufactured in India must incorporate the newly developed application — Sanchar Saathi.

See Also: Jaya Bachchan’s Viral Death Stare at Paparazzi Sparks Fresh Debate on Celebrity Privacy

The application was introduced with the primary objective of curbing the misuse of telecom services and assisting users in identifying devices not associated with any form of fraud. The mandate requires the app to remain visible at all times. As per the order, the application must be enabled on every new smartphone, with a strict provision that it cannot be disabled on any device.

The application, which has sparked widespread debate online and intensified discussions on the right to privacy, was launched in January 2025.

The app does not allow users to disable or restrict any of its features. Sanchar Saathi enables its users to check a device’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) — the 15-digit identification number of a phone.

The app also allows users to report stolen phones or suspected fraud activities. Companies have been directed to comply with the regulations within 90 days and have been given 120 days to submit a compliance report regarding the pre-loading of the new cybersecurity app introduced by the Indian government. The order also states that the app will be added to devices currently in stores via software updates.

See Also: The Impact Of Global Health Trends On Indian Health Insurance Premiums And Coverage

The call to introduce Sanchar Saathi has been described by many critics as a ploy to attack the right to privacy. India is currently the third-largest smartphone market, with more than 1 billion active mobile users.

Many netizens have pointed out the potential risk of surveillance and breaches of privacy. Digital policy expert Nikhil Pahwa raised concerns about the risks involved. He asked, “Once a government app is forcibly pre-installed on our devices, what’s to stop them from pushing future apps that could be used for surveillance?”

The opposition also denounced the order, calling it “unconstitutional.” Congress general secretary K. C. Venugopal took to X to say that the newly introduced application is a direct attack on the right to privacy. He wrote, “A pre-loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled is a dystopian tool to monitor every Indian.”

He further explained that the app allows the government to overlook citizens and could serve as a means to constantly monitor the public. After the massive backlash over privacy concerns, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia issued a statement clarifying that the government-backed application is “not mandatory.” He stated, “If you want to delete it, you can. If you don't wish to register, you shouldn’t register and can remove it anytime.”

Apple’s Alleged Refusal to Comply with the New Rule

As a move to curb the rising cases of cybercrime and hacking, India’s Sanchar Saathi app is designed to block fraud carried out using stolen phones. However, this is not the first time such an application has been introduced. Earlier, Russia also faced criticism for mandating that state-backed apps be pre-installed on smartphones.

Several companies, including Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi, have been directed to comply with the rule. According to some sources, Apple has shown resistance to the order, as the company has a history of refusing to pre-install “third-party apps” on iPhones. Since its launch in January, the app has been installed more than five million times.

[Rh]

Suggested Reading: