🔗 Share this article

In a significant move, India's telecoms authority has confidentially directed mobile phone companies to pre-install all new handsets with a national cybersecurity tool that cannot be deleted. This mandate, which has been disclosed, is expected to alarm major technology firms like Apple and raise questions among privacy advocates.

An International Pattern in Digital Security Policy

To combat a recent surge of cybercrime and phone theft, India is joining governments worldwide. This move mirrors comparable regulations framed in nations like Russia, which are designed to curb the use of stolen phones for fraud and promote government-developed tools.

Which Manufacturers Are Bound by the Directive?

The latest order applies to key mobile phone brands active in the Indian market. Among them are Apple, which has in the past locked horns with the telecom authority over comparable apps, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

The Fine Print of the Official Order

An directive dated 28 November gives smartphone companies a 90-day window to guarantee that the official "Messenger Friend" application is pre-installed on all new mobile phones. A critical stipulation is that owners are prevented from deleting the software.

For devices already in the supply chain, manufacturers are required to send the application via software upgrades. It is important that this order was not made public and was communicated selectively to specific manufacturers.

Digital Rights Worries Voiced

However, legal experts have raised significant worries regarding this decision. A lawyer specialising in tech law stated that India's directive is a cause for concern.

“The government practically eliminates user consent as a genuine choice,” said Mishi Choudhary, an advocate working on internet rights issues.

Privacy advocates had also condemned a comparable requirement by Russia in August for a government-sponsored messenger called Max to be included on phones.

The Size of the Domestic Market

India, one of the world's biggest telephone markets, boasts more than 1.2 billion subscribers. Official figures reveal that the Sanchar Saathi app, introduced in January, has already helped tracking down more than 700,000 stolen phones, with around 50,000 found in October by itself.

The government states that the software is essential to tackle the “significant endangerment” of telecom cybersecurity from duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers, which enable illicit activities and system misuse.

Apple's Stance

Apple's iOS runs on an estimated 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India, with the rest using Android, according to industry analysis. While Apple includes its own proprietary applications on its devices, its internal rules reportedly ban the installation of any government app before the sale of a device.

“Apple has in the past refused such demands from governments,” said Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint.

“It’s probable to seek a middle ground: rather than a mandatory pre-install, they might negotiate and ask for an option to encourage users towards installing the application.”

Queries for response from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi went unanswered. India’s telecoms department also remained silent.

The Role of the IMEI and the App's Purpose

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a 14- to 17-digit number assigned to each mobile device. It is primarily used by carriers to cut off cellular access for phones flagged as stolen.

The Sanchar Saathi application is primarily designed to enable users track and locate lost or stolen smartphones across all mobile carriers, using a national registry. It also allows them to identify, and block, illegal mobile connections.

Impressive Adoption and Outcomes

With more than 5 million downloads since its release, the software has reportedly been used to block more than 3.7 million missing mobile phones. Additionally, over 30 million illegal connections have also been disconnected through its use.

The government asserts that the app aids in combating cyberthreats and assists in the tracking and disabling of missing phones, thereby aiding police in recovering handsets and preventing counterfeits out of the illicit trade.