New Delhi: The government of India has withdrawn its directive requiring all smartphones to come pre-installed with the Sanchar Saathi security app, after intense criticism from privacy advocates, political opponents, and major technology companies.
The Department of Telecommunications confirmed that the earlier order, issued discreetly to manufacturers last week, had been revoked. The initial directive would have compelled companies to install the government-backed app on every new device sold in the country within 90 days.
‘Sanchar Saathi’ allows users to block and track lost or stolen phones and report fraudulent calls. Officials insisted the tool was designed solely to help citizens and posed no threat to privacy. But critics warned that mandatory installation could turn the app into a surveillance gateway.
Concerns deepened after Apple and Google privately signalled they would resist the order, saying it conflicted with their privacy standards and internal operating system policies.
Government lifts mandatory pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi App
Refer to press release for details: https://t.co/n3iqBdZzXZ#DoT #Telecommunications #CyberSecurity #DoTForDigitalSafety #SancharSaathi@JM_Scindia @PemmasaniOnX @neerajmittalias @USOF_India @pib_comm @PIB_India… pic.twitter.com/KqVmjO1fF5
— DoT India (@DoT_India) December 3, 2025
The controversy spilled into parliament, where opposition leaders accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of undermining citizens’ fundamental right to privacy. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala went further, warning the app could become a potential kill switch capable of disabling phones, especially those belonging to journalists, political rivals, and dissenting voices.
The debate drew comparisons to Russia’s recent decision to force the Max app onto all smartphones, prompting fears of mass monitoring. Communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia dismissed the allegations, stressing that Sanchar Saathi was voluntary, could be deleted like any regular app, and offered no route for snooping. He said the aim was to protect users, not to intrude on their personal data.
Digital rights groups welcomed the reversal. The Internet Freedom Foundation said the decision was encouraging but urged caution until a formal legal withdrawal is issued and independently verified.
