NEW DELHI: India has withdrawn an order that would have required smartphone makers to pre-install a state-run cybersecurity app on all new devices, the communications ministry said on Wednesday, after a fierce backlash from opposition politicians, privacy campaigners and global technology firms.
The BJP-led government said it would not make pre-installation mandatory. The move follows harsh criticism of the plan to push a non-removable app, known as Sanchar Saathi or “Communication Partner”, onto new handsets within 90 days.
The confidential order was first reported by Reuters on Monday, and the government announced the decision on December 3.
What the government said
In a statement, India’s communications ministry said: “Government has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers.” Officials said the app’s purpose was to help track and block stolen phones and prevent their misuse.
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia told parliament the government was “ready to make changes to the order based on the feedback we receive,” signalling a retreat from the earlier directive.
Industry and privacy concerns
The confidential order, which had been communicated to firms including Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi on November 28, would have required manufacturers to ensure the app could not be disabled and to push it to already-sold devices through software updates, according to Reuters.
Apple and Samsung signalled they would not comply, according to media reports.
Apple sources, cited by CNA, said that it would convey its concerns to New Delhi, saying such mandates raise privacy and security issues for its iOS ecosystem.
Opposition parties and privacy advocates warned the measure risked enabling government surveillance.
Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala urged parliament to demand clarity on the legal basis for a “mandating a non-removable app” and sought information on independent cybersecurity audits and safeguards.
He warned the order could create a “backdoor” that would compromise user data.
Media and public reaction
Major Indian newspapers and editorials joined the chorus of criticism. The Indian Express said the directive “raises serious apprehensions of surveillance and intrusion.”
The Times of India urged the government to withdraw the order, saying mobile phones were “our private space” and a compulsory intrusion could set a worrying precedent.
Privacy campaigners noted the country has seen heated debate over digital surveillance before.
In 2020, a Covid-19 contact-tracing app initially promoted by the government was later softened after privacy concerns and public protests.
Industry sources said Modi’s directive had rare precedents. Moscow ordered in August that a state-backed messenger, MAX, be pre-installed on devices — a measure critics said could be used to track users.
