Key points
- Tech firms resist source code access
- Critics warn of expanded state surveillance
- Government says consultations still ongoing
NEW DELHI: India’s proposed smartphone security framework has faced criticism from privacy advocates and technology companies, who warn it could increase state surveillance and erode user trust.
The plan, which would require smartphone manufacturers to share source code and retain device logs for up to a year, has drawn quiet resistance from major firms including Apple and Samsung, according to industry sources, reports Reuters.
The proposals are part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broader push to strengthen digital security as online fraud and data breaches rise in India, one of the world’s largest smartphone markets with nearly 750 million users.
Privacy groups warn the measures risk excessive state control. The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) said it “strongly rejects” any regime that grants the government access to confidential source code or embeds persistent monitoring mechanisms into everyday devices.
Such requirements, it argued, would allow authorities to “micromanage how users interact with their own devices”.
Legitimate concerns
The IT ministry has said consultations with industry stakeholders are ongoing and that legitimate concerns would be considered. It has denied plans to formally seek source code, though it declined to comment on internal documents reviewed by the media.
A scheduled meeting between officials and technology firms to discuss feedback on the proposal was called off this week, according to people familiar with the matter.
Legal and cybersecurity experts also raised red flags. Akash Karmakar, a technology law specialist, said demanding source code access would erode trust and run counter to India’s efforts to improve its ease of doing business.
Others warned that requiring firms to notify officials before releasing security updates could create conflicts of interest and expose vulnerabilities to misuse.
India last month withdrew a separate order mandating a government cybersecurity app on phones following public opposition.
