The Centre’s directive to pre-install Sanchar Saath, on all smartphones sold in India has ignited a fierce debate. While officials claim it protects users from fraud, blocks stolen devices, and strengthens telecom security, critics warn that the mandatory, non-removable app threatens privacy and could turn phones into instruments of surveillance.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, 2 December 2025 — In a sweeping regulatory move, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a directive requiring all mobile‑phone manufacturers and importers to pre‑install the government’s cybersecurity app, Sanchar Saathi, on every handset sold in India. The order — issued on 28 November 2025 — demands the app be present on all new devices, visible at first start‑up, and non‑removable by end‑users.
Manufacturers have 90 days to comply; for phones already in the sales pipeline or imported, the DoT has directed that the app be pushed via mandatory software updates. The directive is backed by the recently amended Telecommunications Act, 2023 and the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024.
What Is Sanchar Saathi — And What It Claims to Do
Launched in January 2025, Sanchar Saathi is billed by the government as a citizen‑centric digital safety initiative designed to bolster telecom security and protect consumers from fraud. Under its features, the app allows users to:
-
Verify whether a handset is genuine by checking its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) against a central registry.
-
Report lost or stolen phones, enabling blocking or recovery.
-
Flag suspicious calls, SMS, phishing links or other fraudulent telecom communications.
-
View all mobile connections registered to their name, helping detect fraudulent SIM activations or misuse.
According to official figures, since its launch the app has helped block more than 3.7 million stolen or lost phones and terminated over 30 million fraudulent or suspicious connections. The government claims that the mandate will help plug loopholes around duplicate or spoofed IMEIs, a persistent concern in India’s sprawling second‑hand phone market.
Govt App on Mobiles: Security Tool or Spyware in Disguise?
Why the Government Says It’s Necessary
The DoT justifies the mandate on two major grounds:
-
IMEI Fraud and Telecom Security: Phones with duplicate or tampered IMEI numbers are often used for fraud, theft, or other illicit activities. A pre-installed centralised app would enable easier detection and blocking of such devices.
-
Rising Cybercrime and Fraud: With increasing incidents of SIM‑scams, phishing, identity theft and mobile-based frauds, the government argues that Sanchar Saathi offers a direct tool for users to report suspicious activity, thereby striking at the root of cyber‑fraud.
Officials have framed the move as part of a broader push under the Telecom Cyber Security regulatory framework to strengthen safeguards for users in a digitally connected India.
READ: KZC Slams Bid to Abolish Tribal Chieftainship in Manipur
Strong Pushback: Privacy, Consent, and Surveillance Concerns
Despite the stated aims, the directive has sparked a vocal backlash from political leaders, industry experts, civil‑liberties advocates, and even within the smartphone industry itself.
-
Indian National Congress has taken a harsh stance. Senior leader K C Venugopal described the order as “beyond unconstitutional,” warning that it violates the fundamental right to privacy — an intrinsic aspect of the right to life and liberty under Constitution of India (Article 21). He called the pre-installed, non‑removable app “a dystopian tool to monitor every Indian.”
-
Privacy advocates argue the mandate effectively strips individuals of consent. As one legal expert put it, the directive “removes user consent as a meaningful choice.” Critics fear continuous background data collection, tracking, and potential misuse by government agencies, arguing that transparency about data storage, oversight, and purpose remains unclear.
-
Several smartphone makers — including global brands whose policies historically resist pre-installation of third‑party or government apps — are reportedly alarmed. As global research firm experts note, embedding a state app permanently may run counter to user‑choice norms and cloud compliance with privacy regulations.
-
Observers say lack of industry consultation is itself troubling. Many feel this abrupt mandate — issued privately to manufacturers without public debate or prior stakeholder engagement — sets a precedent that may be difficult to reverse.
-
Government’s move to force the Sanchar Saathi app on every new phone may look like a safety step, but it crosses a serious constitutional boundary. An undeletable app built into the system can easily turn into a government tracker, violating the privacy guaranteed under Article… pic.twitter.com/zriDyFsN90
— Parimal Wagh (@parimal_wagh) December 2, 2025
Industry & Experts: Compliance Challenges Ahead
Industry insiders have expressed concern over the feasibility and implications of enforcing the mandate:
-
Some argue that having an undeletable government app may affect consumer trust and brand reputation, especially among privacy‑conscious users.
-
Firms may face a delicate balancing act — between complying with regulations to retain market access and preserving global policies that resist mandatory pre‑installs.
-
Legal experts caution that without robust oversight, data‑governance frameworks, and transparent reporting — especially on how user data is handled — the move could backfire, provoking court challenges and public distrust.
Public Sentiment: Divided Between Safety and Suspicion
Among ordinary citizens, reactions appear mixed:
-
Some welcome the step, hoping it will deter mobile‑theft, fraud calls and telecom scams — long‑standing problems in both urban and rural India.
-
Others remain skeptical, worried that forced installation of a government app equates to state intrusion into private lives. Many highlight that the problem may not be phone‑theft or fraud alone, but how much trust the state deserves over personal devices.
What’s Next: Legal Challenges, Tech Pushback, or Policy Revision?
As the 90‑day compliance deadline looms, several outcomes may unfold:
-
Manufacturers — especially those with global privacy‑first policies — may negotiate with the government, seeking compromise: perhaps a pre‑installation prompt rather than mandatory deployment.
-
Civil‑liberties groups could file legal petitions challenging the mandate, arguing it violates constitutional privacy rights, or demand that the order be withdrawn or amended.
-
Public pressure and media scrutiny may force the government to clarify data‑usage policies, retention periods, oversight mechanisms, and whether users will ever have an opt‑out.
Why This Matters — Broader Implications for Digital Rights in India
This development isn’t just about one app. It signals a possible shift in how digital security, personal privacy and state authority may intersect in India:
-
It raises fundamental questions about user consent, digital sovereignty, and data control in a country with over a billion mobile users.
-
It could set a precedent — once a state‑app can be mandated and locked onto every device, future extensions (to tracking, messaging, surveillance) might become easier under the guise of “security.”
-
For technology companies, especially global ones, it tests their willingness to abide by regional mandates that may clash with their global user‑privacy commitments.
-
For citizens, it forces a reckoning: Is the promise of security worth ceding control over one of the most personal devices in our lives — the smartphone?
