🔗 Share this article

In a major step, India's telecommunications ministry has confidentially instructed mobile phone manufacturers to include all new devices with a state-owned cybersecurity application that is non-removable. This directive, which was revealed, is expected to alarm major technology companies like Apple and prompt questions among consumer watchdogs.

An International Shift in Digital Security Policy

To combat a growing wave of online fraud and device misuse, India is aligning with governments worldwide. This step parallels comparable regulations framed in countries like Russia, which aim to prevent the use of stolen phones for illicit activities and promote state-backed applications.

What Companies Are Bound by the Directive?

The latest order applies to major mobile phone companies operating in the domestic market. Among them are Apple, a company that has in the past locked horns with regulators over comparable apps, as well as leaders like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

The Fine Print of the Official Mandate

An order dated 28 November allots phone companies a 90-day window to ensure that the government's Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed on all new handsets. A critical stipulation is that users are prevented from deleting the app.

For handsets already in the distribution network, companies are required to push the application via system updates. It is important that this order was sent confidentially and was communicated in confidence to select firms.

User Consent Apprehensions Voiced

However, technology experts have raised major apprehensions regarding this policy. A lawyer focusing in technology matters stated that India's action is a cause for concern.

“The government in essence erodes user consent as a meaningful choice,” stated Mishi Choudhary, an expert working on internet advocacy matters.

Consumer organisations had also criticised a comparable requirement by Russia in August for a state-backed messenger called Max to be included on phones.

The Size of the Domestic Smartphone Landscape

India, among the world's biggest telephone markets, boasts over 1.2 billion subscribers. Official statistics indicate that the Sanchar Saathi application, launched in January, has reportedly helped recovering more than 700,000 stolen phones, with an estimated 50,000 recovered in October alone.

The authorities argues that the tool is essential to tackle the “significant endangerment” of telecom cybersecurity from cloned or spoofed IMEI numbers, which facilitate illicit activities and system abuse.

The Tech Giant's Position

Apple's iOS runs on an approximate 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India, with the rest using Android, according to market research. While Apple pre-installs its own first-party apps on its devices, its internal policies are said to forbid the inclusion of any third-party application before the sale of a smartphone.

“Apple has in the past resisted these kinds of requests from authorities,” commented Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint.

“It’s likely to seek a compromise: instead of a forced inclusion, they might negotiate and ask for an alternative to nudge users towards installing the application.”

Queries for comment from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi were unanswered. India’s telecommunications ministry also offered no comment.

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 handset. It is most commonly used by carriers to block cellular access for phones reported as stolen.

The government app is mainly intended to help users track and locate lost or stolen phones across all telecom networks, using a national database. It also lets them to detect, and disconnect, illegal mobile connections.

Impressive Adoption and Results

With over 5 million downloads since its launch, the app has already helped block over 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones. Furthermore, more than 30 million illegal connections have also been blocked through its use.

The government claims that the app aids in combating cyberthreats and assists in the tracking and disabling of lost or stolen phones, thereby helping police in recovering handsets and preventing counterfeits out of the illicit trade.