India mandates preloaded cyber safety app on all new smartphones

India’s telecom ministry has directed smartphone manufacturers to preinstall a state-owned cyber safety app, Sanchar Saathi, on all new devices sold in the country, according to a government order circulated privately to major vendors. The move, reported by Reuters, requires companies—including Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi—to ensure the app cannot be removed and is available at first use.

The mandate gives manufacturers 90 days to comply and instructs them to push the app to devices already in the supply chain through software updates. The directive was not made public, and the companies involved have not commented.

Authorities say the requirement is part of an effort to curb rising cybercrime, reduce fraud, and prevent misuse of phones with duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers. India, one of the world’s largest smartphone markets with more than 1.2 billion telecom users, has increasingly focused on digital security measures. Government data shows the Sanchar Saathi system has helped recover over 700,000 lost devices and block millions of fraudulent mobile connections since its January launch.

However, the order has already drawn criticism from privacy advocates. Technology lawyer Mishi Choudhary said the mandate “effectively removes user consent as a meaningful choice,” echoing concerns that arose earlier this year when Russia implemented a similar rule requiring preinstalled state-backed apps.

The requirement also places pressure on Apple, whose policies prohibit preloading third-party or government software onto iPhones. Analysts note that Apple has historically declined such requests from governments and may pursue a compromise—such as displaying an installation prompt rather than including the app by default. The company has previously clashed with Indian regulators over a government anti-spam app.

The government argues that Sanchar Saathi is essential to prevent telecom-related threats and assist in identifying counterfeit devices. The app enables users to block and track lost or stolen phones, verify IMEIs, report suspected fraud, and flag international spam calls.

With more than 5 million downloads to date and millions of devices already blocked or traced, officials say the app has become a core tool for combating mobile-enabled crime. But the requirement to embed it into every new smartphone—without the option to disable it—has opened a new debate over digital autonomy and state control as India tightens its cyber regulatory framework.