Government mandates pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app on all new smartphones

The Indian Ministry of Communications has announced a new directive mandating smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app, a government-owned cybersecurity tool, on all newly released devices. This order, communicated privately to select manufacturers on November 28, has not been publicly disclosed. Manufacturers, including major players like Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi, are given a window of 90 days to integrate this app, which users will not have the option to remove. For smartphones already in the supply chain, companies are instructed to facilitate the app's installation via software updates. The government emphasizes that this measure is crucial for addressing serious risks to telecom cybersecurity, particularly issues stemming from duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers that have been linked to various scams and unauthorized network usage. This initiative is likely to raise eyebrows, especially at Apple, which traditionally does not permit the installation of third-party or government apps prior to device sales. Apple usually only pre-loads its own applications and had previously resisted implementing a mandated anti-spam app from regulators. While Android dominates the smartphone market in India, Apple retains a modest share of approximately 4.5% of the nation’s 735 million smartphones. The Sanchar Saathi app leverages the unique IMEI number associated with each handset, ranging from 14 to 17 digits. It enables users to verify IMEI numbers, report suspicious calls, and block lost or stolen phones through a centralized system, allowing authorities to cut network access for those stolen devices. Since its introduction in January, the app has reportedly assisted in recovering over 700,000 lost smartphones.