India’s telecom ministry has issued a landmark directive requiring all smartphone manufacturers to preload the government’s Sanchar Saathi cyber safety app on every new device sold in the country within 90 days. The app must be installed such that users cannot delete or disable it. This mandate extends even to phones already in the supply chain, which must receive the app through software updates before reaching consumers. Major smartphone brands including Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo are impacted by this order, signaling a push for tighter digital security across India’s massive mobile user base of over 1.2 billion subscribers.
Launched in January 2025, the Sanchar Saathi app is central to India’s efforts to combat rising phone fraud. It allows users to block stolen or lost devices, verify the authenticity of SIM cards, and report suspicious calls and messages. Government data reveals that the app has already facilitated the recovery of over 700,000 lost or stolen phones nationally, with more than 50,000 recoveries reported in October 2025 alone. The app has crossed 5 million downloads and has been instrumental in blocking millions of fraudulent mobile connections, helping law enforcement agencies trace devices and curb telecom scams.
However, the non-removable nature of the app has raised significant concerns from privacy advocates and smartphone manufacturers. Apple, in particular, which controls about 4.5% of India’s smartphone market, has consistently opposed mandatory pre-installation of government or third-party apps citing user privacy and control issues. The company’s internal policies prohibit such pre-sales installations, underscoring growing tensions between Indian regulations and global tech giant policies. Android manufacturers also face challenges related to compliance costs and potential consumer backlash over forced software that cannot be removed.
Civil rights groups warn that by forcing an undeletable government app onto users’ devices, India risks enabling increased surveillance and creating a high-value target for hackers. This risk intensifies given India’s recently adopted data protection rules, which contain broad exemptions for government access. Experts caution that future updates to the app or the legal framework could expand data collection and deepen state oversight, potentially impacting user privacy on a large scale.
India’s move to embed the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones is unusual on the global stage, where governments rarely mandate non-removable apps. The push reflects New Delhi’s urgent response to the surge in cyber fraud that costs the country tens of thousands of crores annually, mainly targeting banking, e-commerce, and digital payments. While the app provides a valuable tool against phone theft and fraud, its mandatory and permanent presence on devices underscores an escalating tussle between cybersecurity aims, individual rights, and corporate resistance—a clash that will shape India’s digital future for years to come.
This 90-day directive marks a critical moment in the balancing act between safeguarding users and preserving privacy in one of the world’s largest mobile markets. How smartphone makers, users, and regulators navigate this mandate will set precedents on state control of personal technology in the digital age.
