India Mandates ‘Sanchar Saathi’ Cyber Safety App on All New Smartphones: What You Need to Know

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The Indian government has reportedly issued a confidential directive ordering all phone manufacturers, including major players like Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi, to pre-install a mandatory, government-developed cyber safety application on every new smartphone sold in India.

This unprecedented move is being positioned as a measure to tackle the growing threat of telecom-related fraud and cybercrime. The app in question is the existing Sanchar Saathi platform.

The Government’s Mandatory Directive

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued an order requiring all smartphone manufacturers and importers to ensure the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ application is pre-installed on new devices.

Key points of the directive include:

• Applicability: The mandate covers all smartphones, regardless of whether they are manufactured in India or imported from countries like China or the US.
• Installation: The app must be made visible and functional during the initial device setup.
• No Deletion: Crucially, the directive states that the app must be un-deleteable by the user, similar to certain pre-installed system apps.
• Timeline: Manufacturers have been given 90 days to comply with the new rules. Existing phones that are manufactured but not yet sold are expected to receive an over-the-air software update to install the app.

What is the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ App?

Developed by the Ministry of Communication, ‘Sanchar Saathi’ is a national-level telecom cyber security application. Its main features are designed to protect citizens from various forms of digital fraud and theft:

1. Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR): This feature allows users to track and block their stolen mobile phones using the IMEI number. The government claims this system has already tracked and blocked over 7 lakh stolen phones.
2. Know Your Mobile Connection: Users can check how many mobile numbers are registered against their SIM card and ID. If any fraudulent connections are found, users can request to block and deactivate them.
3. Chakshu Platform: This feature allows citizens to report fraudulent calls, WhatsApp scams, phishing attempts, and other cyber fraud attempts.
4. IMEI Verification: It helps in identifying and resolving cases of duplicate or cloned IMEI devices.

Why the Mandate?

The government argues that making the app mandatory is essential to combat the rising tide of digital crime. Their stated reasons include:

• Tackling problems like IMEI tampering and device cloning.
• Preventing digital scams, including those involving fake loan applications.
• Creating a central platform for reporting cyber fraud, which is currently lacking.
• Improving the recovery rate for stolen mobile phones, which is currently very difficult.

The overall objective, according to the government, is to provide consumer protection, stop fraud, and enhance cyber safety.

Industry Reaction and Major Concerns

While the mandate aims to protect citizens, it has raised significant concerns among industry experts and privacy advocates.

Industry Challenges

• Apple’s Resistance: The biggest resistance is expected to come from Apple, which has historically opposed force-installed or un-deleteable applications, citing its architectural design and commitment to user autonomy.
• Android Compliance: Android manufacturers like Samsung and Xiaomi may find compliance technically easier due to the nature of their operating systems, which allows for more system-level integration.
• Existing Users: There are implementation challenges in ensuring the app is installed on the millions of smartphones already in use through software updates.

Privacy and Autonomy Concerns

The move has been criticized for potentially undermining user autonomy and opening the door to surveillance.

• Data Collection: Although the app is for cyber safety, experts question what specific data the government will collect (beyond IMEI and SIM details), how long it will be stored, and who within the government will have access to it.
• Potential for Misuse: There is a fear that an un-deleteable government app could be used for wider surveillance purposes, especially if future mandatory updates introduce new data-collection features.
• Lack of Transparency: The fact that the directive was issued confidentially to manufacturers, without a public announcement, has raised questions about government transparency.