India has signaled a shift in its controversial plan to require smartphone makers to pre-install a government-run cybersecurity app. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia told lawmakers on Wednesday that the government is open to making changes based on feedback. The app, Sanchar Saathi, is intended to track stolen phones and prevent misuse.
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The announcement comes after widespread criticism from opposition parties, privacy advocates, and major newspapers. Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala raised concerns about legal authority and the potential risks to user data.
He urged parliament to debate privacy safeguards and the app’s security measures. Critics argue that mandatory pre-installed apps could act as backdoors, compromising personal information.
India has ordered all phone companies to pre-install a government cyber safety app on every device within 90 days, and users will not be able to delete it.
Apple does not plan to comply with It pic.twitter.com/eUfX21PMZY
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Phone manufacturers are also wary. Apple reportedly does not plan to comply, citing privacy and security concerns for its iOS ecosystem. Other companies, including Samsung and Xiaomi, have been asked to preload the app within 90 days and ensure that it cannot be disabled on sold devices. The government also plans to push the app to existing users via software updates.
Experts say India’s approach has few global precedents. Russia has enforced a similar mandate, requiring a state-backed messenger app to be pre-installed on all devices. Privacy advocates warn that such measures risk normalizing government surveillance.
Major newspapers have echoed these concerns, with The Times of India calling phones “our private space” and The Indian Express highlighting “serious apprehensions of intrusion.”
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Despite the controversy, app downloads have surged. Market intelligence firm Sensor Tower reported a 13 percent increase in daily downloads on Monday, reaching 78,000. The debate marks another chapter in Prime Minister Modi’s ongoing balancing act between national cybersecurity and citizens’ privacy, following a similar backlash over a Covid-19 contact-tracing app in 2020.