US EditionIndia's Congress Seeks Parliament Debate on State-Run App for Smartphones
India mandates pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app to block stolen phones and spoofing; over 700,000 devices recovered since January, but Apple refuses compliance.
- Last week, the Indian government ordered Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi and others to pre-install Sanchar Saathi as of November 28, with 90 days to comply.
- The Department of Telecommunications designed Sanchar Saathi to block stolen phones and prevent IMEI spoofing, with law enforcement reporting more than 700,000 recoveries and over 3.7 million phones blocked.
- Apple has rejected the mandate due to privacy concerns, while the app was initially required to be undeletable but users may now delete it; Android brands are still reviewing, with Samsung declining to comment and Google silent.
- Apple faces the risk of losing sales in India by rejecting the forced installation amid $38B antitrust tensions, while India grows as a vital market and manufacturing base, and Samsung's stance could influence New Delhi's response.
- Adoption remains modest, with Sanchar Saathi holding about 4.5 percent of the 735 million smartphones active in India and more than five million users downloading it, while Jyotiraditya Scindia called it `voluntary and democratic`.
26 Articles
26 Articles
India’s government backs down after Apple refuses order to preinstall app
India’s government retreated less than a week after sending a private order to smartphone manufacturers instructing them to preload a state-backed app on all phones in the region. The reversal comes after industry sources told Reuters that Apple planned to refuse to comply with the order. Sanchar Saathi is a security app operated by India’s Department of Telecommunications that includes features for tracking and blocking lost or stolen phones u…
The government program, which has access to camera and phone data, is to be installed on every device – and neither to be deleted nor switched off. Critics see India on its way to dictatorship.
Sanchar Saathi Row: What the pre-installed app may or may not fix in smartphones – cyber experts explain
The Union government's move to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on smartphones has sparked controversy, with critics labelling it a potential tool for surveillance. Cybersecurity experts weigh in on its effectiveness against telecom fraud and the challenges that remain in ensuring user safety.
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