🔗 Share this article

In a notable move, India's telecoms ministry has confidentially directed smartphone manufacturers to preload all new devices with a government-backed cybersecurity tool that is non-removable. This mandate, which was revealed, is expected to concern leading tech companies like Apple and raise concerns among digital rights groups.

An International Shift in Cybersecurity Policy

Addressing a growing wave of digital scams and device misuse, The Indian authorities is joining authorities internationally. This action mirrors similar measures introduced in nations like Russia, which are designed to block the use of stolen phones for scams and promote state-backed tools.

What Companies Are Affected by the Order?

The latest mandate binds leading mobile phone companies operating in the domestic market. This encompasses Apple, which has previously clashed with the telecom authority over similar applications, as well as leaders like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Details of the Official Order

An order dated 28 November provides smartphone manufacturers a 90-day deadline to ensure that the government's Sanchar Saathi application is included on all new handsets. A critical provision is that users are prevented from deleting the application.

For handsets currently in the retail pipeline, manufacturers are instructed to push the app via software patches. It is worth mentioning that this directive was not made public and was dispatched selectively to select companies.

Digital Rights Apprehensions Raised

However, legal specialists have expressed serious worries regarding this decision. A lawyer specialising in tech issues stated that India's directive is a reason to worry.

“The government effectively removes user consent as a meaningful choice,” said Mishi Choudhary, an advocate working on internet advocacy matters.

Digital rights groups had earlier questioned a comparable requirement by Russia in August for a government-sponsored communication called Max to be pre-installed on phones.

The Scope of the Indian Market

India, one of the world's largest telephone markets, boasts more than 1.2 billion connections. Government data indicate that the Sanchar Saathi app, introduced in January, has already helped locating more than 700,000 lost phones, with approximately 50,000 recovered in October by itself.

The government contends that the app is essential to fight the “grave endangerment” of mobile network cybersecurity from cloned or tampered IMEI numbers, which facilitate fraud and system abuse.

Apple's Position

Apple's iOS powers an estimated 4.5% of the 735 million mobile phones in India, with the vast majority using Android, as per industry analysis. While Apple includes its own first-party applications on its devices, its internal policies reportedly prohibit the inclusion of any government app before the purchase of a device.

“Apple has in the past refused such demands from governments,” said Tarun Pathak, a analyst at Counterpoint.

“It’s probable to seek a negotiated solution: rather than a forced pre-install, they might discuss and propose an option to prompt users towards downloading the app.”

Queries for response from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi went unanswered. India’s telecoms department also did not respond.

The Role of the IMEI and the Application's Purpose

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a unique identification number assigned to each mobile device. It is most commonly used by carriers to cut off cellular access for phones reported as stolen.

The Sanchar Saathi application is primarily intended to help users track and locate missing smartphones across all telecom networks, using a central registry. It also allows them to spot, and terminate, illegal mobile connections.

Notable Adoption and Outcomes

With more than 5 million downloads since its release, the software has already been used to block more than 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones. Moreover, over 30 million illegal connections have also been blocked through its use.

The government asserts that the app helps combating cyberthreats and helps in the locating and disabling of missing phones, thereby aiding police in tracing devices and preventing counterfeits out of the black market.