🔗 Share this article

In a major step, India's telecommunications ministry has privately instructed mobile phone makers to preload all new handsets with a government-backed cybersecurity tool that cannot be deleted. This order, which has been disclosed, is likely to alarm major tech companies like Apple and prompt concerns among digital rights groups.

A Global Trend in Digital Security Policy

Addressing a growing wave of digital scams and device misuse, India is following authorities across the globe. This move echoes recent measures introduced in nations like Russia, which seek to curb the use of stolen phones for scams and encourage state-backed applications.

Which Companies Are Impacted by the Order?

The new mandate applies to leading smartphone makers active in the domestic market. Among them are Apple, a company that has previously had disagreements with regulators over similar apps, as well as leaders like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Details of the Government Order

An order dated 28 November allots phone manufacturers a 90-day window to guarantee that the government's Sanchar Saathi app is factory-loaded on all new handsets. A notable condition is that consumers are prevented from deleting the software.

For handsets currently in the supply chain, manufacturers are instructed to send the application via system upgrades. It is important that this order was privately circulated and was sent privately to select manufacturers.

User Consent Concerns Expressed

However, technology analysts have flagged major worries regarding this decision. A lawyer focusing in tech issues commented that India's directive is a reason to worry.

“The government effectively removes user consent as a real choice,” commented Mishi Choudhary, an expert working on digital rights issues.

Privacy advocates had also criticised a comparable mandate by Russia in August for a government-sponsored messenger called Max to be pre-installed on phones.

The Size of the Indian Smartphone Landscape

India, one of the world's largest mobile markets, boasts more than 1.2 billion mobile users. Official statistics show that the cybersecurity app, launched in January, has already helped locating over 700,000 stolen phones, with an estimated 50,000 found in October alone.

The authorities states that the app is crucial to fight the “serious endangerment” of telecom cybersecurity from cloned or tampered IMEI numbers, which enable scams and network abuse.

The Tech Giant's Likely Response

Apple's iOS powers an approximate 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India, with the rest using Android, as per industry analysis. While Apple pre-installs its own first-party apps on its devices, its internal policies are said to prohibit the inclusion of any third-party app before the sale of a device.

“Apple has in the past resisted these kinds of requests from governments,” noted Tarun Pathak, a analyst at Counterpoint.

“It’s likely to pursue a middle ground: rather than a compulsory inclusion, they might discuss and propose an alternative to encourage users towards downloading the app.”

Queries for comment from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi went unresponded. India’s telecommunications department also did not respond.

The Role of the IMEI and the Application's Purpose

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a 14- to 17-digit number unique to each mobile device. It is typically used by carriers to block network access for phones reported as lost.

The Sanchar Saathi application is chiefly intended to enable users track and locate missing phones across all mobile carriers, using a central registry. It also allows them to detect, and block, fraudulent mobile connections.

Notable Usage and Outcomes

With more than 5 million installs since its inception, the app has already helped disable over 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones. Additionally, over 30 million illegal connections have also been disconnected through its use.

The authorities asserts that the app aids in combating cyberthreats and helps in the tracking and disabling of lost or stolen phones, thereby helping police in recovering handsets and keeping cloned devices out of the illicit trade.