NEW DELHI: India’s order requiring smartphone makers to preload a state-owned cyber safety app, Sanchar Saathi, on all new devices has sparked a political uproar, with critics warning that the mandate could enable the BJP-led government surveillance in the world’s most populous nation.
The app, called Sanchar Saathi, or Communication Partner, is at the centre of a storm involving Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi and other major technology firms. They have been given 90 days to comply.
Currently available in Apple and Android app stores, Sanchar Saathi is billed as a citizen-centric safety tool.
It allows users to block and track lost or stolen mobile phones using the device’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), which is a unique code for the handset.
It also enables users to check how many mobile connections are registered under their name, helping to identify and disconnect fraudulent numbers used in scams.
Additional features include tools to report suspected fraudulent calls and verify the authenticity of used devices before purchase.
What’s the new mandate?
On November 28, India’s telecom ministry privately asked all smartphone manufacturers to preload their new devices with the app, stating that it must be “visible, functional, and enabled” upon first setup. Reuters was first to report on the move on Monday.
It also says manufacturers must ensure that users cannot disable or restrict the app’s features.
For devices that are already manufactured, companies must install the app via software updates.
An industry source with direct knowledge of the situation said software updates would eventually roll out the app to existing phone users, meaning it could reach more than 735 million people.
Apple to resist India order
Apple does not plan to comply with a mandate to preload its smartphones with a state-owned cyber safety app and will convey its concerns to New Delhi, said three sources.
The development came after the government’s move sparked surveillance concerns and a political uproar.
The Indian government has confidentially ordered companies, including Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi, to preload their phones with an app called Sanchar Saathi, or Communication Partner, within 90 days.
The government also wants manufacturers to ensure that the app is not disabled. And for devices already in the supply chain, manufacturers should push the app to phones via software updates.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political opponents and privacy advocates criticised the move, saying it is a way for the government to gain access to India’s 730 million smartphones.
Apple, however, does not plan to comply with the directive and will tell the government it does not follow such mandates anywhere in the world as they raise a host of privacy and security issues for the company’s iOS ecosystem, said two of the industry sources who are familiar with Apple’s concerns. They declined to be named publicly as the company’s strategy is private.
“It’s not only like taking a sledgehammer, this is like a double-barrel gun,” said the first source.
Apple and the telecom ministry did not respond to requests for comment, Reuters reported.
Other companies review Indian govt order
While Apple tightly controls its App Store and proprietary iOS software, which are crucial to its $100-billion-per-year services business, Google’s Android is open-sourced, allowing manufacturers like Samsung and Xiaomi greater leeway to modify their software.
The second source said Apple does not plan to go to court or take a public stand, but it will tell the government it cannot follow the order because of security vulnerabilities.
Apple “can’t do this. Period,” the person said.
The app order comes as Apple is locked in a court fight with an Indian watchdog over the nation’s antitrust penalty law. Apple has said it risks facing a fine of up to $38 billion in a case.
Other brands, including Samsun,g are reviewing the order, said a fourth industry source who is familiar with the matter. Samsung did not respond to Reuters queries.
Sources, cited by Reuters, have said the government moved forward with the order without industry consultation.
Sanchar Saathi in numbers, data collection
The Indian government says the app has been downloaded over 10 million times and the system has helped block over 4.2 million stolen or lost phones, in addition to terminating more than 30 million fraudulent mobile connections.
The government says the app “does not automatically capture any specific personal information from you without intimation on the application.”
Its privacy policy says users will be asked to share permission for sharing access to cameras, photos and files for iPhones – for select uses.
For Android, users will be asked to share call logs, send messages for registration, make and manage phone calls “to detect mobile numbers in your phone,” as well as grant access to cameras and photos.
Apple is worried about its privacy and security vulnerabilities, Reuters has reported. According to Counterpoint Research, more than 95% of Indian smartphones run on Google’s Android, with the remainder on Apple’s iOS.
Government logic and public response
The Indian government says criminals often clone or spoof valid IMEI numbers onto stolen devices, making it impossible to track criminals or block hardware.
India, which has a large market for used phones, also wants to prevent people from buying stolen or blacklisted devices.
The mandate has since become a talking point on local prime-time television and social media, drawing sharp criticism from privacy advocates and members of the political opposition.
The main opposition Congress Party has demanded that the mandate be rolled back, calling the move unconstitutional.
The Internet Freedom Foundation, a free-speech rights group, said on X that it would “fight this direction till it is rescinded.”
