India orders phone makers to preload devices with state-owned cyber safety app | Technology

India’s telecom ministry privately asked smartphone makers to preload a state-owned cybersecurity app into all new devices that cannot be removed, a government order revealed, a move likely to draw outrage among Apple and privacy advocates.

To tackle the recent rise in cyber crime and hacking, India is joining authorities around the world, most recently in Russia, to enact rules to prevent the use of stolen phones for fraud or to promote state-backed government service apps.

Apple, which has previously clashed with the telecom regulator over the development of a government anti-spam mobile app, is among the companies including Samsung, Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi bound by the new order.

The November 28 order gives 90 days to major smartphone companies to ensure that the government’s Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed on new mobile phones, with the provision that users cannot disable it.

For devices already in the supply chain, manufacturers should push the app to phones through a software update, which was not made public and was sent privately to select companies, the ministry said in its order.

However a lawyer specializing in technology matters said India’s move was a cause for concern.

“The government effectively removes user consent as a meaningful option,” said Mishi Chaudhary, who works on Internet advocacy issues.

Privacy advocates criticized Russia’s imposition in August of a similar requirement that state-backed messenger app Max be pre-installed on phones.

India, one of the world’s largest telephone markets, has more than 1.2 billion subscribers, and government figures show the app launched in January has helped recover more than 700,000 lost phones, including 50,000 in October alone.

The government said the app was necessary to tackle the “serious threat” to telecom cyber security posed by duplicate or fake IMEI numbers, which enable scams and misuse of networks.

According to Counterpoint Research, of the estimated 735 million smartphones in India by mid-2025, 4.5% were powered by Apple’s iOS, while the rest were using Android.

A source with direct knowledge of the matter said that while Apple pre-installs its proprietary apps on phones, its internal policies prohibit installing any government or third-party apps before a smartphone goes on sale.

“Apple has historically declined such requests from governments,” said Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint.

“There’s potential to find a middle ground: instead of mandatory pre-install, they can negotiate and ask for the option to prompt users to install the app.”

Apple, Google, Samsung and Xiaomi did not respond to requests for comment. India’s Telecom Ministry also did not respond.

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, a 14 to 17 digit number unique to each handset, is commonly used to cut off network access for stolen phones.

Sanchar Saathi app is primarily designed to help users block and track lost or stolen smartphones across all telecom networks using a central registry. It also lets them identify and disconnect fraudulent mobile connections.

With over 5 million downloads since its launch, the app has helped block over 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones, while over 30 million fraudulent connections have also been terminated.

The government says the software helps prevent cyber threats and helps track and block lost or stolen phones, helping police trace devices, while keeping counterfeits off the black market.