\n<\/p>\n
Directive gives companies 90 days to ensure Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed on new mobile phones.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPublished On 1 Dec 2025<\/span>1 Dec 2025<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/p>\nClick here to share on social media<\/p>\nshare2<\/title><path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.688 9.048c-.659 0-1.252.282-1.673.733l-4.92-2.45c.016-.115.028-.232.028-.352 0-.117-.011-.23-.027-.343l4.913-2.423a2.285 2.285 0 0 0 1.68.739C12.964 4.952 14 3.899 14 2.6 14 1.302 12.965.25 11.688.25S9.377 1.302 9.377 2.601c0 .117.01.23.027.343L4.49 5.367a2.285 2.285 0 0 0-1.68-.739C1.536 4.628.5 5.681.5 6.979c0 1.299 1.035 2.35 2.312 2.35.659 0 1.252-.281 1.673-.731l4.92 2.45a2.357 2.357 0 0 0-.029.351c0 1.299 1.035 2.351 2.312 2.351S14 12.698 14 11.399s-1.035-2.35-2.312-2.35Z\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"rich-share__social-text\">Share<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p>The Indian government has instructed smartphone makers to pre-install a state-owned cybersecurity app on all new devices in a bid to tackle online scams and other crimes, according to reports.<\/p>\n<p>The November 28 order \u2013 the existence of which was reported by Reuters news agency and Indian media on Monday, three days after it was privately sent to manufacturers \u2013 gives the companies 90 days to ensure that the app, Sanchar Saathi or \u201ccommunication companion\u201d, is pre-installed on new mobile phones, with a requirement that users cannot disable it.<\/p>\n<p>The directive of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) also requires phone companies to push a software update for installing the app on devices already in circulation, the reports said.<\/p>\n<p>The app, which was released in January, is currently available for download, with India\u2019s 1.2 billion smartphone users having the option to install it.<\/p>\n<p>The government says the app is essential to combat \u201cserious endangerment\u201d of cybersecurity from duplicate or spoofed International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers \u2013 the code assigned to each device that is used to cut off network access for phones that are reported stolen.<\/p>\n<p>According to government figures, users have downloaded the app more than five million times since its launch, helping to block more than 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones and blocking more than 30 million fraudulent connections, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n<p>In that time, the app has helped recover more than 700,000 lost phones, according to the figures.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"apple-likely-to-resist\">Apple \u2018likely to resist\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>But the order is likely to face pushback from US tech giant Apple, which has previously clashed with India\u2019s telecoms regulator over a government antispam mobile app, as well as privacy advocates, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n<p>Apple has internal guidelines against installing any third-party apps \u2013 including government-developed ones \u2013 prior to the sale of a device, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told the news agency.<\/p>\n<p>Tarun Pathak, a research director at technology market research firm Counterpoint, told Reuters that Apple had previously refused similar requests from governments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s likely to seek a middle ground: instead of a mandatory pre-install, they might negotiate and ask for an option to nudge users towards installing the app,\u201d Pathak said.<\/p>\n<p>Mishi Choudhary, a lawyer who works on internet advocacy issues, told the agency that the order was concerning, as it \u201ceffectively removes user consent as a meaningful choice\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>There was no immediate comment about the reports by the DoT.<\/p>\n<p>The directive follows similar moves by governments, most recently Russia, to crack down on the use of phones for fraud and push state-backed apps.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Directive gives companies 90 days to ensure Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed on new mobile phones. Published On 1 Dec 20251 Dec 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share The Indian government has instructed smartphone makers to pre-install a state-owned cybersecurity app on all new devices in a bid to tackle online […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3949"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3949\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Published On 1 Dec 2025<\/span>1 Dec 2025<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/p>\nClick here to share on social media<\/p>\nshare2<\/title><path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.688 9.048c-.659 0-1.252.282-1.673.733l-4.92-2.45c.016-.115.028-.232.028-.352 0-.117-.011-.23-.027-.343l4.913-2.423a2.285 2.285 0 0 0 1.68.739C12.964 4.952 14 3.899 14 2.6 14 1.302 12.965.25 11.688.25S9.377 1.302 9.377 2.601c0 .117.01.23.027.343L4.49 5.367a2.285 2.285 0 0 0-1.68-.739C1.536 4.628.5 5.681.5 6.979c0 1.299 1.035 2.35 2.312 2.35.659 0 1.252-.281 1.673-.731l4.92 2.45a2.357 2.357 0 0 0-.029.351c0 1.299 1.035 2.351 2.312 2.351S14 12.698 14 11.399s-1.035-2.35-2.312-2.35Z\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"rich-share__social-text\">Share<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p>The Indian government has instructed smartphone makers to pre-install a state-owned cybersecurity app on all new devices in a bid to tackle online scams and other crimes, according to reports.<\/p>\n<p>The November 28 order \u2013 the existence of which was reported by Reuters news agency and Indian media on Monday, three days after it was privately sent to manufacturers \u2013 gives the companies 90 days to ensure that the app, Sanchar Saathi or \u201ccommunication companion\u201d, is pre-installed on new mobile phones, with a requirement that users cannot disable it.<\/p>\n<p>The directive of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) also requires phone companies to push a software update for installing the app on devices already in circulation, the reports said.<\/p>\n<p>The app, which was released in January, is currently available for download, with India\u2019s 1.2 billion smartphone users having the option to install it.<\/p>\n<p>The government says the app is essential to combat \u201cserious endangerment\u201d of cybersecurity from duplicate or spoofed International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers \u2013 the code assigned to each device that is used to cut off network access for phones that are reported stolen.<\/p>\n<p>According to government figures, users have downloaded the app more than five million times since its launch, helping to block more than 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones and blocking more than 30 million fraudulent connections, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n<p>In that time, the app has helped recover more than 700,000 lost phones, according to the figures.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"apple-likely-to-resist\">Apple \u2018likely to resist\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>But the order is likely to face pushback from US tech giant Apple, which has previously clashed with India\u2019s telecoms regulator over a government antispam mobile app, as well as privacy advocates, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n<p>Apple has internal guidelines against installing any third-party apps \u2013 including government-developed ones \u2013 prior to the sale of a device, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told the news agency.<\/p>\n<p>Tarun Pathak, a research director at technology market research firm Counterpoint, told Reuters that Apple had previously refused similar requests from governments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s likely to seek a middle ground: instead of a mandatory pre-install, they might negotiate and ask for an option to nudge users towards installing the app,\u201d Pathak said.<\/p>\n<p>Mishi Choudhary, a lawyer who works on internet advocacy issues, told the agency that the order was concerning, as it \u201ceffectively removes user consent as a meaningful choice\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>There was no immediate comment about the reports by the DoT.<\/p>\n<p>The directive follows similar moves by governments, most recently Russia, to crack down on the use of phones for fraud and push state-backed apps.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Directive gives companies 90 days to ensure Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed on new mobile phones. Published On 1 Dec 20251 Dec 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share The Indian government has instructed smartphone makers to pre-install a state-owned cybersecurity app on all new devices in a bid to tackle online […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3949"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3949\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Click here to share on social media<\/p>\n
share2<\/title><path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.688 9.048c-.659 0-1.252.282-1.673.733l-4.92-2.45c.016-.115.028-.232.028-.352 0-.117-.011-.23-.027-.343l4.913-2.423a2.285 2.285 0 0 0 1.68.739C12.964 4.952 14 3.899 14 2.6 14 1.302 12.965.25 11.688.25S9.377 1.302 9.377 2.601c0 .117.01.23.027.343L4.49 5.367a2.285 2.285 0 0 0-1.68-.739C1.536 4.628.5 5.681.5 6.979c0 1.299 1.035 2.35 2.312 2.35.659 0 1.252-.281 1.673-.731l4.92 2.45a2.357 2.357 0 0 0-.029.351c0 1.299 1.035 2.351 2.312 2.351S14 12.698 14 11.399s-1.035-2.35-2.312-2.35Z\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"rich-share__social-text\">Share<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p>The Indian government has instructed smartphone makers to pre-install a state-owned cybersecurity app on all new devices in a bid to tackle online scams and other crimes, according to reports.<\/p>\n<p>The November 28 order \u2013 the existence of which was reported by Reuters news agency and Indian media on Monday, three days after it was privately sent to manufacturers \u2013 gives the companies 90 days to ensure that the app, Sanchar Saathi or \u201ccommunication companion\u201d, is pre-installed on new mobile phones, with a requirement that users cannot disable it.<\/p>\n<p>The directive of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) also requires phone companies to push a software update for installing the app on devices already in circulation, the reports said.<\/p>\n<p>The app, which was released in January, is currently available for download, with India\u2019s 1.2 billion smartphone users having the option to install it.<\/p>\n<p>The government says the app is essential to combat \u201cserious endangerment\u201d of cybersecurity from duplicate or spoofed International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers \u2013 the code assigned to each device that is used to cut off network access for phones that are reported stolen.<\/p>\n<p>According to government figures, users have downloaded the app more than five million times since its launch, helping to block more than 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones and blocking more than 30 million fraudulent connections, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n<p>In that time, the app has helped recover more than 700,000 lost phones, according to the figures.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"apple-likely-to-resist\">Apple \u2018likely to resist\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>But the order is likely to face pushback from US tech giant Apple, which has previously clashed with India\u2019s telecoms regulator over a government antispam mobile app, as well as privacy advocates, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n<p>Apple has internal guidelines against installing any third-party apps \u2013 including government-developed ones \u2013 prior to the sale of a device, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told the news agency.<\/p>\n<p>Tarun Pathak, a research director at technology market research firm Counterpoint, told Reuters that Apple had previously refused similar requests from governments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s likely to seek a middle ground: instead of a mandatory pre-install, they might negotiate and ask for an option to nudge users towards installing the app,\u201d Pathak said.<\/p>\n<p>Mishi Choudhary, a lawyer who works on internet advocacy issues, told the agency that the order was concerning, as it \u201ceffectively removes user consent as a meaningful choice\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>There was no immediate comment about the reports by the DoT.<\/p>\n<p>The directive follows similar moves by governments, most recently Russia, to crack down on the use of phones for fraud and push state-backed apps.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Directive gives companies 90 days to ensure Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed on new mobile phones. Published On 1 Dec 20251 Dec 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share The Indian government has instructed smartphone makers to pre-install a state-owned cybersecurity app on all new devices in a bid to tackle online […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3949"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3949\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}