The Indian government has issued a directive to all smartphone manufacturers and importers, mandating the pre-installation of the government-owned Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones manufactured and imported into India.
The directive also states that users can’t uninstall or disable the app that is forcibly installed on their smartphones, raising serious concerns about users’ agency and the choice, more importantly, user consent.
What Does the Directive Say?
Citing the ”serious endangerment to telecom cyber security” because of duplicate or spoofed IMEIs, the directive issued by the Department of Telecommunications’ AI & Digital Intelligence Unit, mandates all mobile phone manufacturers and importers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on every device manufactured or imported into Indian jurisdiction, starting 90 days from the date of the order, which is February 26, 2026.
For context, an IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a unique 15-digit code that identifies every SIM-using device.
Under the directive, the central government instructs all mobile phone manufacturers and importers supplying devices in India to take the following actions:
- Within 90 days of the order, smartphone manufacturers and importers must ensure that the Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed on every handset manufactured or imported for use in India.
- They should also ensure that the app is clearly visible and accessible to users during initial setup
- And, they should also ensure that none of its functions are disabled or restricted.
- If the smartphones are already manufactured and currently in sales channels in India, then they must forcibly add the app through software updates.
The directive also says that the manufacturers and importers must submit their compliance reports to the DoT within 120 days of the directive’s issuance. If they fail to comply with these newly amended rules, they will face consequences under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, and the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024, warns the directive order.
What is the Sanchar Saathi App?
Sanchar Saathi is a “citizen-centric initiative of India’s Department of Telecommunications” to help users protect their smartphone devices, verify their mobile connections and report suspicious activity, including spam. The app’s description on the Play Store claims that it consolidates several government-backed digital safety tools designed to curb cyber fraud, mobile theft, and illegal telecom operations.
At the centre of the platform is Chakshu, a feature that allows users to report suspected fraud attempts, whether by call, SMS or WhatsApp, including impersonation, financial scams or other misuse of telecom services. Reports submitted through the tool enable authorities to track and respond to emerging cybercrime patterns, it claims. The app also supports the government’s lost and stolen phone blocking system, enabling users to…
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