🔗 Share this article

In a significant step, India's telecoms department has privately asked smartphone makers to preload all new phones with a national cybersecurity application that is non-removable. This order, which was revealed, is likely to concern major tech companies like Apple and prompt questions among consumer watchdogs.

A Global Pattern in Cybersecurity Policy

Addressing a growing wave of digital scams and device misuse, India is joining governments internationally. This step parallels comparable regulations framed in countries like Russia, which are designed to curb the use of stolen phones for scams and encourage government-developed applications.

What Companies Are Impacted by the Order?

The latest directive applies to key mobile phone companies active in the domestic market. Among them are Apple, which has previously had disagreements with regulators over comparable applications, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Details of the Official Mandate

An order dated 28 November provides phone companies a 90-day window to guarantee that the official Sanchar Saathi app is included on all new devices. A notable condition is that users cannot disable the app.

For handsets already in the supply chain, companies are required to deliver the application via software patches. It is important that this directive was sent confidentially and was dispatched privately to specific companies.

User Consent Worries Voiced

However, technology experts have expressed significant worries regarding this decision. A legal expert focusing in tech issues stated that India's action is a reason to worry.

“The government effectively erodes user consent as a genuine choice,” stated Mishi Choudhary, an advocate working on internet advocacy issues.

Privacy advocates had previously questioned a comparable requirement by Russia in August for a state-backed communication called Max to be pre-installed on phones.

The Size of the Indian Market

India, among the world's biggest mobile markets, boasts more than 1.2 billion connections. Government statistics indicate that the cybersecurity app, introduced in January, has already helped locating more than 700,000 stolen phones, with around 50,000 found in October alone.

The government contends that the app is crucial to fight the “serious endangerment” of telecom cybersecurity from fake or spoofed IMEI numbers, which facilitate fraud and network misuse.

The Tech Giant's Position

Apple's iOS powers an estimated 4.5% of the 735 million mobile phones in India, with the rest using Android, according to market research. While Apple includes its own proprietary applications on its devices, its company policies reportedly ban the inclusion of any government application before the purchase of a smartphone.

“Apple has traditionally resisted such mandates from governments,” commented Tarun Pathak, a analyst at Counterpoint.

“It’s expected to pursue a compromise: instead of a compulsory pre-install, they might discuss and ask for an option to encourage users towards downloading the application.”

Queries for response from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi were unanswered. India’s telecommunications department also did not respond.

The Role of the IMEI and the App's Purpose

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a unique identification number assigned to each handset. It is most commonly used by networks to cut off network access for phones flagged as lost.

The Sanchar Saathi app is primarily intended to help users block and track missing phones across all mobile carriers, using a national database. It also enables them to spot, and block, unauthorised mobile connections.

Notable Usage and Results

With over 5 million installs since its release, the app has reportedly helped disable more than 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones. Furthermore, more than 30 million illegal connections have also been terminated through its use.

The government states that the software helps preventing cyberthreats and helps in the locating and disabling of missing phones, thereby aiding police in recovering handsets and keeping cloned devices out of the black market.