🔗 Share this article

In a notable decision, India's telecommunications authority has privately instructed mobile phone makers to pre-install all new devices with a state-owned cybersecurity app that must remain installed. This mandate, which has come to light, is expected to concern leading tech firms like Apple and prompt questions among digital rights groups.

A Worldwide Trend in Cybersecurity Policy

In tackling a growing wave of online fraud and device misuse, India is aligning with regulators across the globe. This action echoes recent regulations enacted in nations like Russia, which seek to curb the use of stolen phones for fraud and encourage government-developed service apps.

What Companies Are Affected by the Directive?

The new order applies to major smartphone makers operating in the domestic market. These include Apple, which has in the past had disagreements with the telecom authority over similar apps, as well as leaders like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Details of the Government Mandate

An directive dated 28 November allots phone companies a three-month window to guarantee that the official Sanchar Saathi application is pre-installed on all new mobile phones. A key stipulation is that users will not be able to remove the app.

For devices currently in the retail pipeline, makers are required to push the app via system patches. It is important that this directive was not made public and was sent privately to select manufacturers.

User Consent Worries Expressed

However, legal specialists have flagged significant concerns regarding this decision. A lawyer focusing in tech law said that India's directive is a cause for concern.

“The government in essence removes user consent as a genuine choice,” stated Mishi Choudhary, an expert working on internet advocacy matters.

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

The Scale of the Domestic Market

India, one of the world's largest mobile markets, boasts more than 1.2 billion connections. Government statistics indicate that the cybersecurity app, introduced in January, has reportedly helped locating over 700,000 lost phones, with an estimated 50,000 recovered in October alone.

The government contends that the app is crucial to tackle the “grave endangerment” of mobile network cybersecurity from duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers, which enable illicit activities and system abuse.

Apple's Position

Apple's iOS powers an approximate 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India, with the vast majority using Android, as per market research. While Apple includes its own first-party apps on its devices, its internal policies reportedly forbid the inclusion of any government application before the purchase of a smartphone.

“Apple has historically refused these kinds of requests from authorities,” noted Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint.

“It’s probable to seek a middle ground: rather than a compulsory inclusion, they might discuss and propose an option to encourage users towards installing the app.”

Queries for comment from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi went unresponded. India’s telecommunications ministry 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 networks to block network access for phones reported as stolen.

The Sanchar Saathi app is primarily created to help users block and track lost or stolen smartphones across all mobile carriers, using a national database. It also enables them to spot, and disconnect, illegal mobile connections.

Notable Adoption and Outcomes

With over 5 million installs since its release, the app has reportedly been used to disable over 3.7 million missing mobile phones. Additionally, over 30 million fraudulent connections have also been terminated through its use.

The government states that the tool aids in combating digital threats and helps in the locating and disabling of missing phones, thereby aiding police in recovering handsets and keeping cloned devices out of the illicit trade.