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India has revoked an order to smartphone manufacturers to install a government-owned cybersecurity application<\/a> on all new mobile devices following massive backlash amid digital rights concerns.<\/p>\n According to an official notification issued by the Department of Telecommunications on November 28, all leading smartphone makers, including Apple and Samsung, were given 90 days to add the government\u2019s Sanchar Saathi application to all newly manufactured devices.<\/p>\n list of 3 items<\/span>end of list<\/span><\/section>\n The government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said the order was part of a move to tackle fraud and misuse of mobile phones.<\/p>\n The order faced pushback, however, both from tech companies and digital privacy advocates. Prior to its withdrawal, Apple, based in the United States, reportedly said it would not comply with the order due to a host of privacy- and security-related issues.<\/p>\n Here is what we know.<\/p>\n Under the directive issued by India\u2019s Department of Telecommunications, manufacturers were told to ensure that Sanchar Saathi was \u201cpre-installed on all mobile handsets manufactured or imported for use in India\u201d within 90 days.<\/p>\n The app, manufacturers were told, was to be \u201creadily visible and accessible to the end users at the time of first use or device setup\u201d and its features \u201cnot disabled or restricted\u201d.<\/p>\n For devices already in supply, manufacturers and importers were told to \u201cmake an endeavour to push the App through software updates\u201d, the order stated.<\/p>\n The directive also required companies to submit compliance reports to the telecom ministry within 120 days.<\/p>\n According to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in May, more than 85 percent<\/a> of households in India own smartphones.<\/p>\n Sanchar Saathi is a snooping app, and clearly it’s ridiculous. Citizens have the right to privacy. Everyone must have the right to privacy to send messages to family and friends without the government looking at everything.<\/p>\n It’s not just snooping on the telephone. They’re\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/omw2XlD5pq<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Congress (@INCIndia) December 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Justifying the order, the government said the country\u2019s Telecom Cyber Security Rules empower it to set up mechanisms \u201cnecessary to identify and report acts that may endanger telecom cyber security\u201d, and that Sanchar Saathi will enable \u201cstakeholders to report International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) \u2013 related suspicious misuse and also to verify authenticity of IMEIs used in mobile devices\u201d.<\/p>\n The IMEI is a unique 15-digit number that is used to identify a specific mobile device.<\/p>\n An industry source familiar with Apple\u2019s concern regarding the app told Reuters that the tech giant would explain to the Indian government that it does not follow any such mandates anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n Another industry insider told Reuters that South Korean-based tech company Samsung was reviewing the order, but had not given any details about how it planned to pursue the matter.<\/p>\n The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) of India called it a \u201cdeeply worrying expansion of executive control over personal digital devices\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe stated objective of curbing IMEI fraud and improving telecom security is, on its face, a legitimate state aim. But the means chosen are disproportionate, legally fragile, and structurally hostile to user privacy and autonomy,\u201d it said in a statement.<\/p>\n Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Priyanka Gandhi called Sanchar Saathi a \u201csnooping\u201d app and \u201cridiculous\u201d.<\/p>\n The Delhi-based Software Freedom Law Centre told Al Jazeera the directive was another example of attempts \u201cto take away user autonomy, make a mockery of consent and have 24 hours State in My Home measure\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the start of a slippery slope of function creep. Such deep integration of state software on private devices ensures an expansion of surveillance capacities without fresh public debate each time new changes are made,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n \u201cGovernment has no business being in our devices that are more intimate to us than our loved ones.\u201d<\/p>\n A similar controversy arose in 2020, when the Indian government required all public and private sector employees to use its COVID-19 contact tracing app, Aarogya Setu, which critics described as a \u201cprivacy minefield\u201d.<\/p>\n Early on Wednesday, the government said it would be willing to amend the order \u201cbased on the feedback we receive\u201d. Hours later, the order was revoked.<\/p>\n \u201cGovernment has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers,\u201d India\u2019s Communications Ministry said in a press statement.<\/p>\n \u201cThe app is secure and purely meant to help citizens from bad actors in the cyber world,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n Government removes mandatory pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi App. <\/p>\n “The Government with an intent to provide access to cyber security to all citizens had mandated pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones. The app is secure and purely meant to help citizens\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/u4AgSuLrkh<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The IFF said that while this was a \u201cwelcome development\u201d, it was still awaiting the full legal order accompanying the revocation.<\/p>\n Statement<\/p>\n The PIB has just issued a statement at 3:00 PM on December 3, 2025 that the government will not make pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app mandatory for mobile manufacturers. This is a welcome development, but we are still awaiting the full text of the legal order\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/VQV4t8YNfK<\/a><\/p>\nRecommended Stories <\/h2>\n
What did the order say?<\/h2>\n
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Why did the Indian government order this?<\/h2>\n
How did smartphone manufacturers respond?<\/h2>\n
What were the criticisms of the order?<\/h2>\n
When did India revoke the order?<\/h2>\n
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