The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has approached Google, Apple and other OEMs to open state-backed app stores. According to the latest report published by Bloomberg, the ministry has approached smartphone companies to work on its idea – creating a government-app suite. The report said officials reached out to Apple and Google executives last month and requested them to provide Indian users with direct access to the government’s apps.

With this move, the ministry is focusing on increasing the reach of its public welfare services by using technology. It also wants state-backed app suites to be pre-installed on devices before they hit the market and can be downloaded from third-party sources without any warning. According to alleged sources, officials requested tech companies to include the state-backed GOV.in app store in their marketplaces, like Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store, as the discussions have not been made public.

That said, both Google and Apple are unlikely to agree to the requests. “Google, whose Android operating system is used by more than 90% of the roughly 700 million smartphones in the country, is pushing back on the initiative, the people said, adding that Apple is also unlikely to agree,” the report said. At the meeting, government officials discussed the possibility of using policy mandates or legal measures to force Apple and Google to comply.

Currently, the government’s apps are available individually through Apple and Google digital stores in India. However, officials believe that bundling these apps into the GOV.in app suite within the store could significantly increase their usage.

Remarkably, this is not an isolated idea. Apple has worked for Russia in 2021. It has provided users with the option to install government-recommended applications while complying with local regulations.

Similarly, India also wants to create a separate app-suite for its citizens. The country has often played a leading role in imposing strict regulations on global technology companies. For example, the 2020 ban on video app TikTok and Meta’s legal demand to provide access to encrypted WhatsApp messages under certain conditions – a move that the US social media giant has challenged in court. New Delhi’s technology policies often set a precedent for other countries, posing significant challenges for major technology companies.

Given the increase in smartphone usage and vulnerabilities, a strict approach becomes important. If Apple and Google comply with the request, it could improve cyber crime statistics in the country. Apple and Google, which typically retain 30 percent of app revenue, actively manage developers’ contributions to their platforms, ensuring reduced exposure to viruses, cyber threats, and faulty software.

These companies maintain tight control over their app stores, which is a major factor enabling them to have a significant impact on smartphones around the world.