An undeletable government app is coming to hundreds of millions of smartphones

All major smartphone companies – including Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo – have 90 days to preload a government app on their devices. Existing smartphones are to receive the same mandatory app via a software update soon.

This is the latest report from Reuters, and it's about India.

Privacy at risk?

As the story has it, a confidential government directive has been sent by the Indian telecoms ministry to major smartphone brands, including Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi. The order demands that all new mobile phones be shipped with the non-removable, state-owned Sanchar Saathi security app pre-installed.

The brands are given a 90-day deadline from the November 28th order to ensure this application is embedded and cannot be removed or disabled by the user. The move is presented as a necessary step to address a wave of cyber fraud and hacking, positioning India's regulatory framework in contrast with the privacy policies preferred by some international technology firms.

A cause for concern

The government's mandatory, non-removable pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all new smartphones in India has drawn significant criticism. Technology lawyer Mishi Choudhary argued the move effectively eliminates user consent, echoing concerns raised by privacy advocates regarding a similar messenger app requirement in Russia.

However, the Indian government defends the order, stating the app is necessary to counter the "serious endangerment" posed by duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers, which are used to facilitate scams and network misuse. The government notes the app's effectiveness, citing that it has helped recover over 700,000 phones since its launch in January.

The directive creates a direct conflict, particularly with Apple, which maintains internal policies against pre-installing any third-party or government applications before a phone is sold. While Apple's iOS represents a small segment of the 700+ million smartphones in India, analysts predict the company is unlikely to comply fully. Instead, Apple could attempt to negotiate a compromise, such as replacing the mandatory pre-installation with a system that encourages users to install the app voluntarily.

How does it work?

The Sanchar Saathi app is built around the IMEI system that helps users track and disable lost or stolen devices across all telecom networks through a shared registry, and it can also detect and shut down fraudulent mobile connections.

Since launch, the app has been downloaded more than 5 million times, leading to over 3.7 million lost or stolen phones being blocked and more than 30 million fraudulent connections being removed. According to the government, the system helps curb cyber threats, supports police in locating devices, and limits the circulation of counterfeit phones.

While this sounds helpful, the privacy concerns are real, so it will be interesting to see how this unravels.

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