• Government orders all new smartphones to carry non-removable Sanchar Saathi app
• Companies get 90 days to comply with the preload mandate
• Move sparks privacy concerns among tech players and digital rights groups

India’s telecom ministry has quietly ordered major smartphone manufacturers to preload the government-owned Sanchar Saathi app on all new devices sold in the country. The directive, issued, requires the app to be installed in a way that users cannot delete or disable it.

The move is part of the government’s push to curb rising cybercrime, including scams enabled by duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers. Officials said the app is critical to protecting telecom networks and helping users track or block lost phones. Government data shows Sanchar Saathi has already helped recover over 700,000 missing devices since its launch in January, with nearly 50,000 recovered in October alone.

The order applies to every major smartphone brand, including Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi. Companies have been given 90 days to ensure the app is preloaded on all new models. Devices already in the supply chain must receive the app through software updates. The directive was not made public and was shared privately with selected manufacturers.

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However, the mandate has raised alarms among privacy experts. Technology lawyer Mishi Choudhary said the requirement removes “meaningful user consent” and risks expanding government access to personal data. Critics have compared the move to Russia’s recent rule forcing phones to carry a state-backed messenger app.

India is one of the world’s largest mobile markets, with more than 1.2 billion subscribers. According to Counterpoint Research, Apple holds about 4.5% of India’s smartphone base, while the rest runs on Android. The new rule could once again put Apple at odds with Indian authorities, similar to earlier tensions over a government anti-spam app.