India orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety app | Reuters

Skip to main contentExclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionalsLearn more aboutRefinitivWorldBrowse WorldAfricaAmericasAsia PacificChinaEuropeIndiaIsrael and Hamas at WarJapanMiddle EastUkraine and Russia at WarUnited KingdomUnited StatesReuters NEXTBusinessBrowse BusinessAerospace & DefenseAutos & TransportationDavosEnergyEnvironmentFinanceHealthcare & PharmaceuticalsMedia & TelecomRetail & ConsumerFuture of HealthFuture of MoneyTake FiveWorld at WorkMarketsBrowse MarketsAsian MarketsCarbon MarketsCommoditiesCurrenciesDealsEmerging MarketsETFsEuropean MarketsFundsGlobal Market DataRates & BondsStocksU.S. MarketsWealthEcon WorldSustainabilityBrowse SustainabilityBoards, Policy & RegulationClimate & EnergyLand Use & BiodiversitySociety & EquitySustainable Finance & ReportingThe SwitchReuters ImpactCOP30LegalBrowse LegalGovernmentLegal IndustryLitigationTransactionalUS Supreme CourtCommentaryBrowse CommentaryBreakingviewsROI: Reuters Open InterestTechnologyBrowse TechnologyArtificial IntelligenceCybersecuritySpaceDisruptedInvestigationsMoreSportsAthleticsBaseballBasketballCricketCyclingFormula 1GolfNFLNHLSoccerTennisScienceLifestyleCity MemoGraphicsPicturesWider ImagePodcastsReuters World NewsReuters Morning BidReuters Econ WorldOn AssignmentViewsroomThe Big ViewLiveFact CheckVideoSponsored ContentReuters PlusPress ReleasesMy NewsRegisterIndia orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety appBy Aditya Kalra and Munsif VengattilDecember 1, 20259:23 PM UTCUpdated agoTextSmall TextMedium TextLarge TextShareXFacebookLinkedinEmailLinkApple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store during a media preview, a day ahead of its launch in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tabSummaryCompaniesDirective affects Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, XiaomiGovernment says app combats cyber security threatsIndustry concerned over lack of prior consultationIndia has more than 1.2 billion telecom usersBENGALURU, Dec 1 (Reuters) - India's telecoms ministry has privately asked smartphone makers to preload all new devices with a state-owned cyber security app that cannot be deleted, a government order showed, a move likely to antagonise Apple and privacy advocates.In tackling a recent surge of cyber crime and hacking, India is joining authorities worldwide, most recently in Russia, to frame rules blocking the use of stolen phones for fraud or promoting state-backed government service apps. Sign up here.Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab, which has previously locked horns with the telecoms regulator over development of a government anti-spam mobile app, is among the companies, such as Samsung (005930.KS), opens new tab, Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi (1810.HK), opens new tab bound by 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 a provision that users cannot disable it.For devices already in the supply chain, manufacturers should push the app to phones via software updates, the ministry said in its order, which was not made public and was sent privately to select companies.A lawyer specialising in technology matters said India's move was cause for concern, however."The government effectively removes user consent as a meaningful choice," said Mishi Choudhary, who works on internet advocacy issues.Privacy advocates criticised a similar requirement by Russia in August for a state-backed messenger app called MAX to be pre-installed on phones.One of the world's largest telephone markets, India has 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 OFTEN REFUSES SUCH REQUESTSThe government said the app was essential to combat "serious endangerment" of telecom cyber security from duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers, which enable scams and network misuse.Apple's iOS powered an estimated 4.5% of 735 million smartphones in India by mid-2025, with the rest using Android, Counterpoint Research says.While Apple pre-installs its own proprietary apps on phones, its internal policies prohibit installation of any government or third-party app before sale of a smartphone, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said."Apple has historically refused such requests from governments," said Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint."It's likely to seek a middle ground: instead of a mandatory pre-install, they might negotiate and ask for an option to nudge users towards installing the app."Apple, Google, Samsung and Xiaomi did not respond to requests for comment. India's telecoms ministry also did not respond.A 14- to 17-digit number unique to each handset, the IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is most commonly used to cut off network access for phones reported to have been stolen.The app is mainly designed to help users block and track lost or stolen smartphones across all telecom networks, using a central registry. It also lets them identify, and disconnect, fraudulent mobile connections.With more than 5 million downloads since its launch, the app has helped block more than 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones, while more than 30 million fraudulent connections have also been terminated.The government says it helps prevent cyber threats and assists tracking and blocking of lost or stolen phones, helping police to trace devices, while keeping counterfeits out of the black market.Reporting by Aditya Kalra and Munsif Vengattil; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tabSuggested Topics:CybersecurityShareXFacebookLinkedinEmailLinkPurchase Licensing RightsAditya KalraThomson ReutersAditya Kalra is the Company News Editor for Reuters in India, overseeing business coverage and reporting stories on some of the world's biggest companies. He joined Reuters in 2008 and has in recent years written stories on challenges and strategies of a wide array of companies -- from Amazon, Google and Walmart to Xiaomi, Starbucks and Reliance. He also extensively works on deeply-reported and investigative business stories.EmailXLinkedinMunsif VengattilThomson ReutersBased in Bengaluru, Munsif Vengattil leads Reuters' technology news coverage in India. He tracks themes at the intersection of tech, business, and labor.
A reporter for nine years, Munsif has written extensively on India's electronics manufacturing aspirations and its tech policy space, AI and election interference, satellite internet, streaming wars, and data breaches. His stories also focus on investigating corporate strategies and revealing India-specific initiatives and challenges of the biggest of tech firms - from Apple, Facebook, and Google, to Foxconn, Samsung, and Nvidia.EmailXLinkedinRead Next agoSustainabilitycategorySouth Korea's Lee calls for tougher penalties after Coupang data breach agoBusinesscategorySwiss, German authorities shut down cryptomixer.io in money laundering crackdown agoSustainabilitycategorySouth Korean police probe massive data leak at CoupangNovember 30, 2025SustainabilitycategoryCoupang apologizes over massive data breachNovember 28, 2025WorldcategorySouth Korea suspects North Korea behind hack of crypto exchange Upbit, Yonhap reportsSustainabilitySouth Korea's Lee calls for tougher penalties after Coupang data breachBoards, Policy & Regulationcategory · December 2, 2025 · 1:46 AM UTC · agoSouth Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Tuesday the massive customer data leak from e-commerce platform Coupang is a wake-up call for stronger protection of digital privacy and ordered plans to raise fines and penalties for such lapses.Society & EquitycategoryAustralian teen challenging social media ban says internet will be less safe12:58 AM UTCBoards, Policy & RegulationcategoryTrump administration backs Bayer's bid to curb Roundup lawsuits12:43 AM UTCBoards, Policy & RegulationcategoryIndia's November power output falls on weak cooling demand, slower industrial activity12:30 AM UTCSustainable Finance & ReportingcategoryUK shop inflation cooled in November but prices likely to rise in 2026, BRC says12:06 AM UTCSite IndexBrowseWorldBusinessMarketsSustainabilityLegalBreakingviewsTechnologyInvestigationsSportsScienceLifestyleAbout ReutersAbout Reuters, opens new tabAdvertise with Us, opens new tabCareers, opens new tabReuters News Agency, opens new tabBrand Attribution Guidelines, opens new tabReuters and AI, opens new tabReuters Leadership, opens new tabReuters Fact CheckReuters Diversity Report, opens new tabCommercial Disclosure (Japan), opens new tabStay InformedDownload the App (iOS), opens new tabDownload the App (Android), opens new tabNewslettersSubscribeInformation you can trustReuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.Follow UsXFacebookInstagramYoutubeLinkedinWhatsAppLSEG Products Workspace, opens new tabAccess unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile.Data Catalogue, opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. World-Check, opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks.Advertise With Us, opens new tabAdvertising GuidelinesPurchase Licensing Rights, opens new tabCookies, opens new tabTerms & ConditionsPrivacy, opens new tabCopyright, opens new tabDigital Accessibility, opens new tabCorrectionsData Disclosure and Sources, opens new tabSite Feedback, opens new tabAll quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays.© 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved

India’s telecommunications ministry has privately directed smartphone manufacturers to pre-install a state-owned cybersecurity application, a move designed to combat cybercrime. This directive, revealed through a confidential order issued in November 2025, has garnered significant concern, particularly from Apple, as it effectively removes user consent and raises privacy concerns.

The government’s intention is to bolster cybersecurity defenses against rising cybercrime and fraud, echoing similar actions taken by Russia. The Sanchar Saathi app, launched in January 2025, aims to identify and block stolen or misused mobile phones, track fraudulent connections, and prevent network misuse. It has achieved notable success, recovering over 700,000 lost phones in October alone, with 3.7 million blocked stolen or lost phones, and 30 million fraudulent connections terminated.

However, the mandate has triggered resistance. Apple, known for its refusal to pre-install government or third-party apps on its devices, is likely to negotiate for an opt-in approach rather than a mandatory installation. Counterpoint Research estimates that Apple accounts for approximately 4.5% of smartphones in India, indicating a significant portion of the market utilizes Android.

The government’s actions follow a trend of increased cybersecurity regulations globally. The Sanchar Saathi app’s success has been instrumental in this regard, demonstrating its ability to disrupt illegal activities and protect users. The app’s reported recovery of over 700,000 devices highlights its effectiveness.

Despite the app’s achievements, concerns surrounding user privacy remain. Critics, including technology advocate Mishi Choudhary, point to the removal of user consent as a fundamental challenge. The directive raises questions about digital privacy and the balance between security and individual freedoms. It’s a response to a serious issue, but one that introduces considerable challenges for user agency and digital rights.