Apple and Google are preparing to resist the Indian government’s directive requiring smartphone makers to pre-install the state-owned Sanchar Saathi app on all devices, citing privacy and system security concerns, according to an Indian Express report. Samsung also reviewed the order but has not finalised its position.
However, amid pushback from the public, telecom operators, the opposition, and civil society activists, the government withdrew the mandatory pre-installation requirement for the Sanchar Saathi app on December 3 at 3 pm.
Govt’s Sanchar Saathi Order Triggers Industry Concern
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued a confidential directive on November 28, 2025, asking manufacturers and importers to ensure that the Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed on new phones and pushed to existing devices via software updates. The order also stated that the app’s functionality cannot be restricted or disabled.
Sanchar Saathi, developed by the government, is a cybersecurity app that allows users to report fraudulent calls, messages, and stolen phones. Officials argue that it can help verify the genuineness of mobile devices through IMEI numbers, aiming to reduce the risk of scams and network misuse. According to the directive, “Mobile handsets bearing duplicate or spoofed IMEI pose serious endangerment to telecom cyber security.”
Apple, Google Explore Alternatives Instead of Preloading Sanchar Saathi
However, industry sources said Apple and Google have never preloaded state-owned apps on their devices anywhere globally, and complying with the order could require significant modifications to iOS and Android specifically for India. “It’s not only like taking a sledgehammer, but this is also like a double-barrelled gun,” one source said to Reuters, describing the impact of the directive. Another source had explained how implementing the order would have meant Google creating a custom version of Android for India, while Apple would have violated its internal policy of not pre-loading iPhones with third-party software.
Apple had reportedly decided not to comply with the directive in its current form. A source told Reuters, “Apple does not plan to go to court or take a public stand, but it will tell the government it cannot follow the order because of security vulnerabilities. Apple, “can’t do this. Period.”
Other smartphone makers, including Samsung and Xiaomi, are reviewing the directive. According to the Press Trust of India, Apple and Samsung had decided to engage with the government to find a “middle path”, but Apple might not have implemented the order in the form it was published.
Privacy and Oversight Concerns
Civil society activists had raised privacy concerns, noting that mandatory preloading bypasses user choice and consent, with potential risks of ‘functional creeping’, gradual expansion of the app’s scope beyond its original purpose. The Opposition parties…
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