India Directs Smartphone Makers to Pre-Install Government Cybersecurity App ‘Sanchar Saathi’ Users Will Not Be Allowed to Delete It

The Government of India has quietly issued a directive requiring all major smartphone makers to pre-install its official Cybersecurity and anti-fraud application, Sanchar Saathi, on every new handset sold in the country. According to the order, the app must be added within the next 90 days and, notably, users will not be able to uninstall it. The decision has triggered immediate concern among global tech giants such as Apple and privacy rights advocates.

India, home to more than 1.2 billion mobile subscribers, is among the world’s largest smartphone markets. Officials claim Sanchar Saathi has played a vital role in combating cyber fraud and phone theft since its launch earlier this year. Government data states that the platform has already helped recover over 700,000 lost or stolen devices, including more than 50,000 in the month of October alone.

The directive, issued on November 28 and accessed by Reuters, mandates that companies like Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi ship every new device with the Sanchar Saathi app preloaded. The order was not made public and was privately circulated to selected manufacturers. For phones already manufactured or in transit, companies must roll out the app through over-the-air software updates.

Authorities argue that mandatory installation is necessary to counter the rising threat of telecom cybercrime, particularly the misuse of duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers. These fake identifiers are frequently used by scammers to bypass security systems, facilitate fraud, or evade law enforcement.

Apple Faces Policy Conflict With India’s New Guidelines

One of the most significant roadblocks to the mandate is Apple’s long-standing policy: the company does not allow any third-party or government-mandated apps to be pre-installed on iPhones. Apple has previously resisted similar proposals from other governments, and analysts expect the company to push back.

“Apple has historically refused such requests from governments,” said Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint. He added that the world’s most valuable tech company may attempt to negotiate, possibly offering a softer alternative: encouraging users to install the app during initial device setup instead of forcing non-removable installation.

Apple, Google, Samsung, Xiaomi, and India’s telecom ministry have not issued any formal comment on the directive as of now. Counterpoint estimates that Apple’s iOS will power only around 4.5% of India’s 735 million active smartphones by mid-2025, compared to the overwhelming majority running Android.

What the Sanchar Saathi App Does

Sanchar Saathi is built around India’s central device registry and enables users to:

• Report suspicious or fraudulent calls
• Verify or validate a device’s IMEI
• Block stolen phones from accessing telecom networks
• Track and assist in the recovery of lost devices

The government says the app enhances public safety by preventing cyber fraud, curbing SIM misuse, and helping police identify stolen phones. More than 3.7 million lost or stolen devices have already been blacklisted using the system, according to official figures. The platform has also helped block over 30 million fraudulent mobile connections, reducing the risk of financial scams and cyber attacks.

To date, Sanchar Saathi has been downloaded more than 5 million times, and authorities claim that its widespread adoption could significantly reduce digital crime across India’s rapidly expanding telecom ecosystem.

Telecom Cybersecurity: A Growing National Priority

India’s telecom ministry describes the directive as a response to the “serious endangerment” caused by device cloning, number spoofing, and rising telecom fraud. The unique International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number a 14 to 17-digit code assigned to every smartphone is central to this effort.

Law enforcement agencies rely heavily on IMEI data to track devices, cut off network access for stolen phones, and identify criminal activity involving cloned devices. Officials say the new mandate will bring greater standardization and close compliance gaps across manufacturers.

Experts Weigh In: Skilled Workforce Gaps Add Pressure

Speaking to Newsweek, Amanda Brill, a prominent immigration and technology policy expert, emphasized the broader context of India’s digital safety measures. “Many immigrants are performing skilled work that many Americans have not been trained to perform yet,” she noted, linking global labor shifts to the growing importance of secure and accountable telecom networks.

As India accelerates its push toward digital governance and cybersecurity, the mandatory inclusion of Sanchar Saathi signals a significant step but one that is likely to reignite debates around data privacy, user autonomy, and the balance between National Security and Consumer Rights.