India’s telecom ministry has secretly instructed smartphone manufacturers to preload new devices with a non-removable government cyber security app, likely causing friction with Apple and privacy advocates.
Amid rising cybercrime and hacking, India is aligning with global authorities, like Russia, to establish rules that prevent stolen phones from being used for fraud and promote government service apps.
Apple, previously in conflict with regulators over a government anti-spam app, joins companies like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi under the new mandate.
The November 28 directive, reviewed by Reuters, gives major smartphone manufacturers 90 days to ensure the Sanchar Saathi app is preloaded on new phones, disallowing users from disabling it.
For devices in the supply chain, manufacturers are to push the app via software updates, stated the ministry in a confidential order sent to select companies.
A technology law expert expressed concern about India’s directive.
“The government eliminates user consent as a viable choice,” said Mishi Choudhary, an internet advocacy specialist.
Privacy advocates condemned Russia’s similar August mandate for pre-installing a state-backed messenger app, MAX.
India, one of the largest telecom markets globally, has over 1.2 billion subscribers, and the app, launched in January, has aided in recovering over 700,000 lost phones, including 50,000 in October alone.
The government stated the app is vital for combating telecom cyber security threats from fake or spoofed IMEI numbers, which facilitate scams and network abuse.
By mid-2025, Apple’s iOS is expected to power 4.5% of 735 million Indian smartphones, with the majority running on Android, according to Counterpoint Research.
Although Apple pre-installs proprietary apps, its policies prohibit installing government or third-party apps before selling a smartphone, according to a knowledgeable source.
“Apple has historically declined such government requests,” noted Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint.
“They might seek a compromise: rather than mandatory pre-installs, they could negotiate to encourage users to install the app voluntarily.”
Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi did not reply to requests for comments. India’s telecom ministry also remained silent.
The IMEI, a unique 14- to 17-digit identifier for each device, is mainly used to block network access for stolen phones.
The app is designed to help users block and locate lost or stolen smartphones across networks, utilizing a central registry. It also aids in identifying and disconnecting fraudulent connections.
With over 5 million downloads since launch, it has blocked more than 3.7 million stolen or lost phones and terminated over 30 million fraudulent connections.
The government claims it prevents cyber threats and aids in tracking and blocking lost or stolen devices, supporting police in locating devices and keeping counterfeits off the black market.
