DoT DIRECTIVE TO SMARTPHONE MAKERS

India’s telecom ministry has quietly instructed smartphone makers to pre-install a state-run cyber-safety application on all new handsets — and ensure it cannot be deleted — a directive that is expected to provoke resistance from Apple and raise alarms among privacy advocates.

The confidential order, issued last Friday, directs major manufacturers — including Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo — to ensure the government’s Sanchar Saathi app is embedded in all new devices within 90 days. Firms must also push the software to phones already in the distribution pipeline via an over-the-air update. The communication was not made public and was circulated privately to selected companies.

The government maintains the mandate is essential to curb a steep rise in cyber fraud, handset theft and IMEI spoofing. Sanchar Saathi, launched in January, has reportedly helped recover more than 700,000 lost or stolen phones to date, including 50,000 in October alone. Officials argue the app is a critical tool to confront what they describe as the “serious endangerment” posed by cloned or fabricated device identifiers that enable scams and broader network misuse.

Privacy specialists, however, warn that compulsory installation erodes user choice. “The government effectively removes user consent as a meaningful choice,” said technology lawyer Mishi Choudhary.