India Mandates Pre-Installation of Sanchar Saathi Cybersecurity App on All New Smartphones by 2025
- What's the New Smartphone Regulation in India?
- Why Is India Pushing Sanchar Saathi So Hard?
- How Are Tech Companies Reacting?
- What Does Sanchar Saathi Actually Do?
- Messaging Apps Face New Rules Too
- What This Means for India's Tech Ecosystem
In a bold MOVE to bolster telecom cybersecurity, the Indian government has reportedly ordered smartphone manufacturers to pre-install its Sanchar Saathi app on all new devices within 90 days. This controversial mandate could significantly impact major players like Apple, Samsung, and Chinese brands that dominate India's 1.2 billion-user smartphone market. Here's why this development matters for both consumers and tech giants.
What's the New Smartphone Regulation in India?
The Indian government issued a directive on November 28, 2025 requiring all smartphone makers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app on new devices. Manufacturers have exactly 90 days to comply, meaning all phones shipped after February 26, 2026 must include this undeletable government app. For devices already in the supply chain, companies must push the app through software updates.
This isn't India's first rodeo with mandatory apps - back in 2017, Apple famously clashed with regulators over an anti-spam app that required call log access. But the current mandate affects the entire industry, covering about 735 million smartphones currently in use across India.
Why Is India Pushing Sanchar Saathi So Hard?
Officials claim the app is crucial for combating what they call "serious telecom cybersecurity threats," particularly:
- Duplicate or fake IMEI numbers enabling fraud
- Network abuse through cloned devices
- Cybercrime operations using unverified connections
Since its January 2025 launch, Sanchar Saathi has reportedly:
| Metric | Number |
|---|---|
| Downloads | >5 million |
| Recovered lost phones | 700,000+ |
| Blocked stolen devices | 3.7 million |
| Terminated fraudulent connections | 30 million+ |
How Are Tech Companies Reacting?
The mandate has sparked immediate backlash. Apple's internal policies explicitly prohibit pre-installing third-party apps, putting its 4.5% market share at risk. Legal experts like Mishi Choudhary argue the policy "eliminates meaningful user consent," comparing it to Russia's mandatory Max messenger app.
Chinese manufacturers (Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi) face a dilemma - comply and anger privacy-conscious users, or resist and lose access to the world's second-largest smartphone market. Samsung, with its significant Indian production facilities, walks an especially tight rope.
What Does Sanchar Saathi Actually Do?
The app offers two main functions:
- Device tracking: Users can report lost/stolen phones to block them across all networks via a central registry
- Fraud prevention: Identifies and disconnects suspicious mobile connections
In October 2025 alone, the app helped recover 50,000 devices. While these features sound beneficial, privacy advocates worry about potential overreach and data collection.
Messaging Apps Face New Rules Too
On the same November 28 order, India required WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and others to maintain continuous SIM card verification. This means:
- Apps only work with active, inserted SIM cards
- Web versions log users out every 6 hours
- Reauthentication via QR code required
The government claims foreign cybercriminals exploit unverified accounts, but critics see another privacy intrusion. These platforms have 90 days to comply or face potential bans.
What This Means for India's Tech Ecosystem
With Apple's Indian factories now producing 14% of global iPhones, this policy could disrupt supply chains. The BTCC research team notes: "Manufacturers must weigh regulatory compliance against consumer trust - a lose-lose scenario that might slow India's smartphone growth."
As the 90-day deadline approaches, all eyes are on whether tech giants will comply, negotiate, or risk exiting one of their fastest-growing markets. One thing's certain - the global tech industry just got another reminder of India's increasingly assertive digital sovereignty policies.
