India orders phone companies to install government cyber safety app in every phone, users will not be able to delete it

The telecom ministry has privately asked smartphone makers to pre-load all new devices with a state-owned cyber security app that cannot be removed, a government order shows, in a move likely to draw outrage among Apple and privacy advocates.

India is one of the world’s largest telephone markets with more than 1.2 billion subscribers, and government figures show the app launched in January has helped recover more than 700,000 lost phones, including 50,000 in October alone.

Apple, which has previously clashed with the telecom regulator over the development of a government anti-spam mobile app, is among companies like Samsung, Opens new tab Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi, Open new tab, tied to the new order.

The November 28 order, seen by Reuters, gives major smartphone companies 90 days to ensure that the government’s Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed on new mobile phones, with the provision that users cannot disable it.

For devices already in the supply chain, manufacturers should push the app to phones through a software update, which was not made public and was sent privately to select companies, the ministry said in its order.

The government said the app was necessary to tackle the “serious threat” to telecom cyber security posed by duplicate or fake IMEI numbers, which enable scams and misuse of networks.

Counterpoint Research says 4.5 percent of the estimated 735 million smartphones in India by mid-2025 will be powered by Apple’s iOS, while the rest will use Android.

telecommunications cyber security

A source with direct knowledge of the matter said that while Apple pre-installs its proprietary apps on phones, its internal policies prohibit installing any government or third-party apps before a smartphone goes on sale.

“Apple has historically declined such requests from governments,” said Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint.

“There’s potential to find a middle ground: instead of mandatory pre-install, they can negotiate and ask for the option to prompt users to install the app.”

Apple, Google, Samsung and Xiaomi did not respond to requests for comment. India’s Telecom Ministry also did not respond.

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, a 14 to 17 digit number unique to each handset, is commonly used to cut off network access for stolen phones.

The government app allows users to report suspicious calls, verify IMEI, and block stolen devices through a central registry.

With over 5 million downloads since its launch, the app has helped block over 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones, while over 30 million fraudulent connections have also been terminated.

The government says it helps prevent cyber threats and helps track and block lost or stolen phones, helping police trace devices, while keeping counterfeit phones off the black market.