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—
The Indian Ministry of Telecom secretly asked manufacturers
smartphones
install uninstallable government cybersecurity apps on all new devices.This order was carried out in response to increasing cybercrime and using stolen cellphones.
The Indian government’s move is likely to displease Apple and privacy advocates in the tech space.
Cases of cybercrime and hacking have recently continued to soar.In response, India and a number of countries, including Russia, set rules preventing the use of stolen cellphones for fraud or promoting state-backed government service applications.
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Apple and Android manufacturers such as Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi are bound by this new order.Apple itself was previously known to be at odds with telecommunications regulators regarding the development of a government anti-spam application.
The order issued on November 28 gives major smartphone companies 90 days to ensure that the government’s Sanchar Saathi app is installed by default on new phones, with the condition that users cannot disable it.
For devices already in the supply chain, manufacturers must install the app onto phones via a software update, the ministry said in an unpublished order sent confidentially to selected companies.
A lawyer who specializes in technology issues said India’s move was a cause for concern.
“The government has effectively removed user consent as a meaningful choice,” said Mishi Choudhary, who works on internet advocacy issues, quoted from
The Guardian
.
Privacy advocates criticized a similar requirement Russia imposed in August for a state-backed instant messaging app called Max to be installed by default on phones.
India is one of the world’s largest mobile markets with over 1.2 billion subscribers.Indian government data claims that a cybersecurity application they launched in January has helped return more than 700,000 lost phones, of which 50,000 units in October.
The government says the app is critical to countering the “serious threat” to telecommunications cybersecurity posed by fake or forged IMEI numbers, which facilitate fraud and network abuse.
According to Counterpoint Research, Apple’s iOS is expected to power 4.5 percent of India’s 735 million smartphones by mid-2025, with the remainder using Android.
While Apple installs its own apps by default on phones, its internal policies prohibit the installation of government or third-party apps before a smartphone is sold, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.
“Apple has historically resisted such requests from governments,” said Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint.
“They will likely look for a middle ground: instead of requiring mandatory installation, they will probably negotiate and ask for options to encourage users to install the app,” he added.
Apple, Google, Samsung and Xiaomi did not respond to requests for comment.India’s Telecom Ministry also did not respond.
IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) numbers, which consist of 14 to 17 digits and are unique for each device, are generally used to bypass network access on phones that are reported stolen.
The Sanchar Saathi application is designed to help users block and track lost or stolen smartphones across all telecommunications networks, using a central registry.The app also allows users to identify and disconnect cellular connections that attempt to circumvent them.
With more than 5 million downloads since launch, the app has helped block more than 3.7 million lost or stolen phones, while more than 30 million suspicious mobile connections have also been disconnected.
The Indian government says the software helps prevent cyber threats and facilitates tracking and blocking lost or stolen phones, helping police track devices, while preventing counterfeit goods from entering the black market.
(lom/fea)
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